Tips to Raising a Healthy Kid: Be Fit!

Here at Okaloosa County Head Start we are concerned for the well-being of your child. We are more than a Fort Walton child development center (or Niceville, Shalimar, etc.) The longing of a majority of parents is to have a healthy child who grows to maturity and impacts the world for good. One of the most CRITICAL aspects of keeping your kid away from the doctor and at the top of their performance is being “fit”. The following are statistics according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Poor diet and inactivity can lead to overweight/obesity. Persons who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and some types of cancer.

41 million Americans are estimated to have pre-diabetes. Most people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, unless they make changes to their diet and physical activity that results in a loss of about 5-7 percent of their body weight.

Being “fit” means that a child eats well, gets plenty of physical exercise, and has a healthy weight. When a child is fit their body will work well, they will feel good, and can do the things they enjoy doing (running around with friends).

As a parent, here are some tips on how you can help:

1. SERVE HEALTHY MEALS

2. GO ON FAMILY HIKES/RIDES

3. ENCOURAGE YOUR KID(S) TO HAVE FUN EXERCISING (PLAYING)

4. YOU BE FIT.

Children learn through observation, if you are staying fit there is a very good chance they will follow and do the same!

We hope this information is helpful and will benefit you and your family.