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First Things First Blog: Parents are Allies in Battle Against Early Childhood Obesity

Between birth and 5 years old, children are developing habits - good and bad - that affect the rest of their lives.

Obesity among 2- to 5-year-olds has more than tripled since the 1970s, caused by a number of factors, including greater availability of fast food; larger portion sizes; and, decreased physical activity in young children.

Childhood obesity is more than a children's health issue; studies have shown that it can lead to delayed skill development, increased school absences, and poor school performance.

In observance of September's National Childhood Obesity Prevention Month, the website HealthFinder.gov compiled a list of tips from several sources to help families with young kids fight the battle of the bulge. Some tips include:

Eat healthier.

• Start the day with a good breakfast.

• Serve more vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods and low-fat meats or dairy.

• Buy less processed or fast food.

• Let your child pick out healthy foods to try.

• Limit sugary drinks or snacks.

• Sit at the table and eat together as a family.

Limit screen time.

• Keep screen time to 2 hours or less a day for kids age 2 and older. No screen time is recommended for kids under 2.

• Set clear rules about when and for how long your child can watch TV, use the computer, and play video games.

• Keep the TV out of your child's room.

Get active as a family.

• Make physical activity part of your family's daily routine by taking family walks or playing active games together.

• Give your children equipment that encourages physical activity.

• Take young people to places where they can be active, such as public parks, community baseball fields or basketball courts.

• Let children pick family activities.

Make sure kids get enough sleep.

• Set and keep a sleep routine for your child.

• Preschoolers sleep between 11 and 12 hours a day.

• Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.

By helping young kids develop healthy eating and exercise habits now, we can prevent conditions that may affect their learning and well-being for a lifetime.


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