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The Role of the Parent (Last Newsletter)
I know I seem like a one-track
broken record on this topic, but I continue to
validate my sense of this vital piece. My current
reading has brought me to the book
Generation Extra Large: Rescuing Our
Children from the Epidemic of Obesity
by Lisa Tartamella, Elaine Herscher, and
Chris Woolston. Mentioned in this book is a
landmark study in 1990 in the Journal of the
American Medical Association that looked at
three different educational programs for overweight
children, but only one involved both parents and
children. Ten years later, in the group that took a
family approach to the problem, the proportion of
children who were overweight had dropped eight
percent. In contrast, the rates of obesity had
climbed significantly in the other two
groups.
Link to the rest of this
newsletter
Summertime Healthy Strategies
Summer is quickly approaching,
and our kids will be "free from academia in
Mid-June. This means no more lunches to pack,
school schedules to navigate, or homework!! Summer
also means that much of the "structure" surrounding
our daily lives will be gone!! This can be a time
when healthy behaviors tend to deteriorate. SO, be
forewarned and forearmed!!
Here's a list of strategies for
you to consider this summer. We've found that
families who adopt these strategies have a much
easier time enjoying a healthy summer. Please TRY
and ENJOY!!
1. Keep to some form of
schedule over the summer. It's tempting to let
the kids stay up late and awaken late -- and
this is OK, BUT only for a couple days. It's OK
to allow your children to stay up later (say
9:00 or 10:00, perhaps later for teens) but not
too late! ALSO, be sure to awaken them at a
reasonable hour, rather than allowing them to
sleep 'till noon on a regular basis.
2. Enroll children in day
camps, activities, art or enrichment programs,
etc. Does you child swim, paint, like dance,
music, tennis, gymnastics, soccer or martial
arts? Chances are that there are local and
community programs available for almost any
child's taste. Check your local community
centers, YMCA's, High Schools, etc. for a
listing of available programs in your area and
get your child (and family)
involved!!
3. Keep an array of healthy
snacks, fresh fruit and vegetables, quick meals,
sugar free beverages and water available for
your child and family. This will ensure that
healthy options are always there!!
4. Strive to be active every
day if possible. Make a list with your child of
activities that you and they enjoy and can do in
30 minutes. Walking the dog, bike or scooter
riding, tossing, kicking, shooting or bouncing a
ball, dancing, stretching, roller skating,
swimming and yard work are just a few options.
Encourage your child to write their activities
on a calendar each time they do one. This way
you can both keep track.
5. Make a list of family
activities you and your child enjoy. Trips to
local, theme or water parks, to the zoo, family
walks or biking, picnics and outdoor games are
always fun. Find a time on your calendar where
2-5 of these activities will work for your
family every week and jot them down.
Links to PDFs
Reprinted with permission from
Sothern, et al (Trim Kids, 2001, Harper Collins
Publishers).
The above documents require
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Web Links
Weight Loss for Children
www.weightlossforchildren.com
Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion
www.cnpp.usda.gov
More links on the
Resources
page
Recommended Reading
A Parent’s Guide
to Childhood Obesity
Editor: Sandra G. Hassink, M.D.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Girls on
Track
Molly Barker
Underage and
Overweight
Francis M. Berg, M.S.
Fat Land: How
Americans Became the Fattest People in the
World
Greg Crister
Preventing Childhood
Eating Problems
Jane R. Hirschmann, C.S.W.
Fit Kids
Mary L. Gavin, M.D.
Real Kids Come in Normal
Sizes
Kathy Kater
We’re Killing Our
Kids: How to End the Epidemic of Overweight
and Sedentary Children
Todd Hollander
Helping your Child Lose
Weight the Healthy Way
Judith Levine, R.D., M.S.
The Don’t Diet,
Live-it! Workbook
Andrea LoBue, LMFCC
Marsea Marcus, LMFCC
Slim and Fit
Kids
Jody Mazel
John E. Monaco, M.D.
Food
Politics
Marion Nestle, PhD.
How we Eat
Marion Nestle, PhD.
Outwit your
Weight
Cathy Nonas, M.D.
Fed Up: Winning
the War on Childhood Obesity
Susan Okie, M.D.
Child of
Mine
Ellyn Satter
How to get your Kid to
Eat…but not too much
Ellyn Satter
Fast Food
Nation
Eric Scholosser
Chew on This:
Written for kids 9-12
Eric Scholosser
Dr. Sears’ Lean
Kids
William Sears, M.D.
The Family Nutrition
Book
William Sears, M.D.
Generation Extra
Large: Rescuing Our Children from the
Epidemic of Obesity
Lisa Tartamella, R.D., Elaine Herscher, and Chris
Woolston
Eat, Play, and Be
Healthy
W. Allan Walker, M.D.
Generation Extra
Large: Rescuing Our Children from the
Epidemic of Obesity
Lisa Tartamella, R.D., Elaine Herscher, and Chris
Woolston
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