National Childhood Obesity Week: Tips to Keep Your Kids Healthy

This week is National Childhood Obesity Week, a time to focus on the importance of keeping our kids healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese. This is a serious problem that can lead to health problems later in life. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips for keeping your kids healthy and preventing childhood obesity. 

Here are some tips for keeping your kids healthy:

• Encourage them to eat a healthy diet. This means eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and limiting sugary drinks and snacks.
• Make sure they get enough physical activity. Kids should be active for at least 60 minutes every day. This can include playing outside, going for a walk or bike ride, or participating in a sport or other activity.
• Limit screen time. Too much time spent in front of screens (television, computers, phones) can lead to unhealthy behaviors like snacking more often and being less active. Try to limit screen time to no more than two hours per day for kids over the age of two.
• Make sure they get enough sleep. Kids need about nine to twelve hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep can help them maintain a healthy weight and improve their mood and behavior.
• Encourage them to cook with you, consider a trip to the farmer’s market or a cooking class together.
• Model healthy behaviors yourself. Kids are more likely to adopt healthy habits if they see their parents and other adults modeling those behaviors. So, make sure you are eating a healthy diet and being physically active yourself!
• Limit snacking between meals,  have regular family dinners and avoid eating late at night.
• Encourage them to be active in their community. There are many ways to be active in your community, such as volunteering, participating in sports or other activities, or joining a youth group.

These are just a few tips for keeping your kids healthy. For more information on childhood obesity and how to prevent it, visit the CDC website at cdc.gov/obesity. What tips do you have for keeping kids healthy?  Rochester Medical Group, we care about the health of your family! We are doing what we can to make healthcare a little easier for people with busy schedules. Our physicians are quickly able to diagnose and treat common illnesses and minor injuries to help you get better, faster. We are here to meet the urgent medical care needs of Rochester Hills, Rochester, Troy, and the surrounding communities. Call us today at (248) 844-6000.