Top Ten Ways To Help Children Develop Healthy Habits
1. Be a positive role model. If you’re practicing healthy habits, it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the same.
2. Get the whole family active. Plan times for everyone to get moving together.
Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside.
Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.
3. Limit TV, video game and computer time. These habits lead to a sedentary
lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular
disease.
4. Encourage physical activities that children really enjoy. Every child is
unique. Let children experiment with different activities until each finds
something that he or she really loves doing. They’ll stick with it longer
if they love it.
5. Be supportive. Focus on the positive instead of the negative. Everyone
likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children
and teens develop a good self-image.
6. Set specific goals and limits, such as one hour of physical activity a
day or two desserts per week other than fruit. When goals are too abstract
or limits too restrictive, the chance for success decreases.
7. Don’t reward children with food. Candy and snacks as a reward encourage
bad habits. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior.
8. Make dinnertime a family time. When everyone sits down together to eat,
there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too
much. Get the kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops
good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an
added bonus.
9. Make a game of reading food labels. The whole family will learn what’s
good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a
habit that helps change behavior for a lifetime.
10. Stay involved. Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food
choices at school. Make sure your children’s healthcare providers are
monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard. Go to www.yourethecure.org
For more information
go to www.americanheart.org