In traditional early-September timing, the latest news articles are focusing on back to school topics. I’ve seen news stories about backpack giveaways, how to make nice with bullies and best after school activities to get into top colleges. But this year, there seems to be an even great emphasis on the health of kids. And the focus isn’t just on your kids’ health behaviors – it’s about what you’re doing for your health, too.
Last month an article was published in the journal Preventive Medicine that showed that parents who eat fruits and vegetables in front of their kids are able to successfully “model” that behavior for kids. In other words, if kids see their parents eating fruits and veggies, they eat them as well. Interestingly, one group that did not show this pattern was overweight children – the authors tie this to the fact that the children are already “exposed to salty, sweet foods and learned to like them.” Overall, the message to parents is that they need to introduce their children to healthier eating habits early.
Another article published in the journal Pediatrics showed that mothers who are stressed tend to have overweight children. Researchers looked at children’s Body Mass Indexes (BMIs) and their mothers’ stress levels in low-income families. Stressors included finance, health and feelings of anxiety or depression. The researchers believe that children may eat more when they feel stress and therefore tend to be overweight or obese. The message in this study is that mothers who have more access to programs to help them deal with stress can have healthier kids.
In taking a look at these two articles, it’s clear that healthier parents can mean healthier kids. So when you’re focusing on your children during this time of the year, be sure to take some time for yourself and your health.
Kerry
