Children and Weight: Focus on Physical Activity

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Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
Nutrition and Physical Activity Among Youth
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Why should children be physically active?
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Its FUN!
• Reduces the risk of developing chronic disease
• Increases strength and endurance
• Reduces anxiety and stress
• Enhances self-esteem
• Assists in weight management
• Improves sleep habits

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How many California adolescents meet
recommendations for physical activity?
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• 40 of boys
• 20 of girls

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Percentage of U.S. high school students attending
daily PE class
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
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One indicator of inactivity in California
children
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• About 1 in 5 walk to school
• About 4 in 5 are transported to school by car or
  school bus

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Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
How fit are California youth? NOT VERY! Only 20
passed state fitness test by meeting minimum
requirements for 4 measures
Strength Endurance Flexibility Aerobic Fitness
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Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
Whats taking the place of physical
activity? Watching TV and playing video games...
Average time spent 2.5 hours per day for 2-7
year-olds 4.5 hours per day for 8-18 year-olds

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Prevalence of childhood overweight by hours of TV
watched among 8-16 year-old children
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
Percentage Overweight
Time Spent Watching TV (hours per day)
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Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
The American Academy of Pediatrics
Recommends Limit TV viewing to 1-2 hours per
day of quality program. Remove TV sets from
childrens bedrooms. Children under 2 years of
age should not watch television
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Ideas for promoting physical activity among
youth
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Make it FUN!
• Encourage parents to be active with their
  children.
• 
  
• Support opportunities for young people to be
  active. Important factors are ...easy to get to,
  affordable, and at convenient times.

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More ideas for promoting
physical activity among youth
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Emphasize the positive aspects of physical
  activity for kids such as.being more energetic
  and having fun.
• Support opportunities for children with all
  levels of physical abilities to enjoy moving
  their bodies.
• Encourage non-competitive activities and sports.

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Why should children eat well?
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Helps kids grow and develop normally.
• Provides energy for active lifestyles.
• Is linked to higher grades in school.
• Helps kids look their best (healthy hair, skin,
  nails).
• Can help with weight management.
• Can help prevent development of chronic diseases
  like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

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Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
Are California teens eating enough fruit and
vegetables? NO.
20 of Boys 40 of Girls
meet recommendations
Recommended 5 servings / day Average 1.3
servings / day
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Are California adolescents eating too much junk
food?
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
YES!...

• About 1/3 of students said they eat at least one
  or more meals or snacks per day from a fast food
  restaurant.
• About 1/3 of students said that they eat three or
  more servings per day of pastries, fried foods,
  chips, candy, and soda.

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Foods associated with childhood overweight
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Foods high in dietary fat
• Sweetened beverages such as soft drinks,
  Kool-Aid, fruit-flavored drinks

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Eating patterns associated with
high caloric intake
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Not eating meals with family
• Eating while watching television or doing
  homework
• Skipping meals, especially breakfast
• Eating large, infrequent meals
• Constant snacking or grazing

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Consequences of dieting for children
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do
Is Dieting the Answer? No!

• Stunting of growth in height
• Lower bone density
• Delayed puberty
• Fatigue
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Sneaking and hiding food
• Binge eating
• Poor diet quality
• Being overweight later in life

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Ideas for promoting healthy eating among youth
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Make healthy, appealing foods available at
  schools as well as childcare and before and after
  school programs
• Encourage families to eat together
• Decrease exposure and access to
• foods with little nutritional value

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More ideas for promoting healthy eating among
youth
Children and Weight What Communities Can Do

• Limit television viewing to reduce exposure to
  advertisements for high fat, high calorie foods
• Teach youth about the perks that matter to them
  in terms that they understand (e.g. providing
  energy, making one feel and look good)