Get Kids Ready for Back-To-School with Healthy Resolutions

Playing video games. Watching cartoons. Eating fast food. We all know these sedentary and junky activities are linked to childhood obesity, but new research from the University of Michigan takes a deeper dive into specific habits that might cause or protect against obesity in girls and boys. According to a Huffington Post article, obese girls spend more time sitting in front of a computer and obese boys are more likely to park themselves in front of video games. On the flipside, researchers found that healthier habits like drinking milk can protect girls from obesity and playing sports can protect boys.

How can parents and schools take action based on these insights with the busy school year fast approaching or already in swing? 

1. ENCOURAGE KIDS TO DRINK HEALTHIER BEVERAGES
On the weekends, parents can plan out the next week’s meals in advance –including drinks. Get creative and serve milk or a non-dairy alternative like soy or almond milk in smoothies or with non-sugary cereal at breakfast. Adding a little vanilla flavoring or buying fat-free chocolate milk can make drinking the calcium and vitamin D-rich beverage more enjoyable. For variety, try carbonated or ice water infused with fresh fruit as another quick, healthy alternative to sugary soda.

During the school day, the new “Smart Snacks in School” nutritional standards will require schools to serve healthier beverages, like low calorie drinks and low-fat milk. Educators can set an example for students by drinking these types of beverages with their own lunches. 

2. GET KIDS MOVING IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
Research shows that kids who are more physically active perform better in school. Here are some easy ways parents can encourage kids to move more after school and on weekends:

• Ask kids about their favorite gym class activities and then recreate them at home, like hosting a neighborhood basketball game on a Saturday afternoon.
• Start a family tradition like going for a walk, rollerblade or bike ride around the neighborhood right after weeknight dinners.
• Check the activity board at your library or sign up for city e-newsletters to discover family-friendly weekend classes and events like swimming lessons or charity walks.
• Emphasize that being active does not solely mean playing sports. Timed scavenger hunts at birthday parties or dancing to the radio while cooking or cleaning can get kids’ heart rates up too.

Schools are also incorporating more physical activity in the classroom. For example, Illinois students learn AND move with “Brain Breaks”, or lessons disguised as games that were developed by the Michigan Department of Education. “Brain Breaks” activities range from students answering true or false math questions by standing on different sides of the classroom to spelling words by forming the letters with their bodies. Check out the Publishing Guidelines for Incorporating Health Criteria Into School Curriculum for more ideas on how to get kids up and moving during the school day.

Parents and educators need to work together to ensure kids develop healthy habits for life. Once the school day ends, teachers and school staff have little control over what students eat and how much they exercise. More than ever before it’s critical that both schools and parents demonstrate healthy behaviors and teach healthy habits so kids can intuitively apply them in their everyday lives.

How do you find time to get kids exercising and eating healthy meals during the school week? Tweet us @BagtheJunk.