Healthy Aging—for Kids?

One potato, two potato, three potato, four.

Kids won’t live as long as their parents did before.

This lighthearted chant conveys a serious message: today’s children may be the first generation to suffer more health problems and live shorter lives than their parents will.

September is national Healthy Aging Month, and the traditional focus of this health promotion has been on adults 50 years or older. But in light of the downward trend in longevity, the concept of healthy aging needs to be applied to everyone—even children.

I wrote about this issue in an article titled “Healthy Aging—for Kids?” that appeared on Gabby Reece’s Web site

on August 24, 2008. Go here for the full article.

Whether we’re teachers, friends, parents or relatives, we can help children get FIT and preserve their option to age healthfully. Here are three FIT tips:

F: Feed your children home-cooked meals that include vegetables and fruit. Fix family favorites but reduce calories—for example, replace oil or butter in baked goods with applesauce. Fill your cupboard and refrigerator with healthy “fast foods” (for example, bananas, apples, hard-boiled eggs, whole-wheat bread, raisins and carrots) that kids can grab and eat on the run. Find games to play either indoors (Wii Fit or another exergame) or outdoors that will get your family moving.

I: Inquire about the calories and content of restaurant and processed foods and check specifically for fat, trans fat and sodium. Involve yourself in parents’ groups promoting healthy school lunch programs. Initiate family rituals that include a nightly family dinner. Introduce concepts about portion size and caloric content. Invite your children to help you cook.

T: Teach children about nutrition. For example, discuss the importance of drinking milk to build strong bones and eating fresh fruits and vegetables to provide needed vitamins, fiber and nutrients. Track your family’s screen time (video, television and computer) and set a limit on use. Take time to participate in fun physical activities with your kids and show them by example that exercise is important.

Raising children is a daunting yet fun-filled challenge. Whether we’re a parent, relative, teacher or physician, we have one goal: to develop children into fit, productive adults. To assure this happy outcome, all of us must adopt a healthy lifestyle. We’re never too old—or too young—to focus on fitness.

Five potato, six potato, seven potato, eight.

We need to help kids change before it is too late.