Raise Health-Smart Kids

Between early mornings and stimulating nighttime activities, children aren’t getting the sleep they need. This chronic sleep shortage adds up and has been connected to obesity, hyperglycemia, and type 2 diabetes.

Sleep schedules that change from weekdays to weekends have also been connected to unhealthy weight in children and teens. Oversleeping on the weekends was associated with increased obesity in children under 12. Consistent sleep and wake times during the week and on the weekends can help to improve sleep quantity and quality for children.

Establishing a calming pre-sleep routine can help families seamlessly stick to a schedule. A study of 405 mothers found that a consistent bedtime routine improved the ease with which young children fell asleep and reduced the number of nighttime awakenings.

Start the day off right

With the morning rush of getting everyone ready and out the door, the first meal of the day tends to fall by the wayside. While it might seem small, skipping this meal or relying on quick, processed breakfast substitutes can have big impacts on our health.

Studies show that breakfast is indeed the meal of champions. Starting your children’s day with breakfast can help them maintain a healthy body weight and balanced blood sugar levels. Regularly skipping this morning meal can decrease mood and energy levels, and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

What children eat for breakfast every day also makes a difference. Choose whole foods high in fibre and protein to help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.

When the chaos of morning hits the household, the best breakfast intentions might not be enough. Proper planning is paramount to a family breakfast strategy.

Eat together to stay healthy together

Whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, regular family mealtimes can help instill healthy eating habits in children and adolescents. Researchers found that children and teens who sat down to three or more family meals a week were

• 12 percent less likely to become overweight
• 20 percent less likely to eat unhealthy foods
• 24 percent more likely to eat healthy foods

Shared meals offer a chance for families to connect and for parents to introduce new foods and model healthy eating habits. Watching parents enthusiastically eat fruits and vegetables, and eating at set meal times influences how often children eat healthy foods.

Have healthy snacks on hand

When fruits and vegetables are available, accessible, and regularly offered, children are more likely to eat them. Having ready-to-eat healthy options at home makes it easy for parents and kids to choose them over convenient unhealthy snacks. Sliced fruit, almonds and other nuts, yogurt, and chopped vegetables with hummus are healthy items to stock up on.

Involve the whole family

Inviting children to help plan and prepare meals is a surefire way to increase the amount of healthy foods that they eat. Researchers found that when children helped their parents cook a meal they ate more of the entrée and vegetables than when parents cooked alone.

Cooking together is a great opportunity for children to learn valuable nutrition lessons and to have fun. Have them help out in age-appropriate ways, whether it’s arranging fruit and vegetable platters, making smoothies, measuring and mixing, or choosing which meals and snacks to serve.

Get active together

Staying physically active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any age. The recommended one hour a day helps kids maintain a healthy weight, improve fine motor skills, and build self-esteem. You can encourage your children to be active by making activity central to family fun. When parents participate, children are six times more likely to be physically active.

Building a family health strategy can be challenging at first. Remember to start small, stick to a routine, and have fun.

Want to learn more?

For more information to help you and your family live your healthiest life, check out these additional resources:

• ParticipACTION – http://www.participaction.com/get-started/physical-activity-guidelines/
• Public Health Agency of Canada – http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/index-eng.php
• Heart & Stroke Foundation – http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483965/k.38AF/Healthy_living__Family_Health.htm
• EatRight Ontario – http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Child-Toddler-Nutrition/Help!-My-kids-won-t-eat-enough-vegetables-and-fruits.aspx#.VkpPk7-DV94
• Canadian Diabetes Association – http://www.foodskillsforfamilies.ca/