Health Happenings
Is it Downhill From Here?
By Raginee Mendoza, MSED in Health Education
Health Educator for Ben Archer Health Center
"Today's generation of children is the first generation of children not predicted to live longer than their parents" (Newsweek Magazine September 22, 2003). Think about that. Now add to that thought that 1 in 3 boys and almost 1 in 2 girls born in the United States in the year 2000 will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives, with the diagnoses occurring at an earlier and earlier age. In just the past 30 years childhood obesity rates have doubled for ages 2-5 and 12-19. In that same time period those rates have more than tripled for ages 6-11. (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in September 2004). Obesity, we are beginning to understand, has been linked with the leading causes of death, including cancer and heart disease. These statistics should make us ask, "Is it down hill from here?"
Do we understand how serious this situation is? Do we think about how this will impact our children, our families, and even our community? What has changed in just twenty to thirty years? More importantly, what can be done?
Let's take a minute to look at what has changed. Do you remember playing outside until the streetlights went out? Do you remember riding your bike and feeling like you would never get tired? Then, after playing all afternoon, do you remember coming home to a home cooked meal? Those were the good old days. When you didn't buy games because you and your friends made them up. You rarely ate out because mom's home cooking was the best thing in the world. Soda "pop" was a treat, not something you drank in place of water. That was then.
In a large part, these things have changed for today's children. Suburban development may not always foster an environment for outdoor physical activities. Schools cut back on physical activity to keep up with academic demands. Families find it harder to have the means and make the time to make balanced home cooked meals. Vegetables and fruit are not always as affordable as less nutritious and sometimes more desirable options, like convenience foods. Then there is the one-eyed-monster, as television has been so called. It not only consumes children's playtime with its many programs and video games, but it also feeds kids more unfavorable information as to what to eat, drink, and snack on.
So what can we do? First, we have to realize that kids learn by example. If we come home with fast food every day and sit with them in front of the TV until it's time to go to bed, that will be all they know. Let's lead by example. Take them outside and play with them. Go for a walk or ride bikes as a family. Second, let's give them skills. Maybe two days a week we can cook balanced meals with our children. Even if they eat out a lot due to current circumstances, show them what a balanced meal looks like and how to prepare it. While making the meal together explain to them how eating affects their health and how they look and feel. Take them to the grocery store. Make it a family affair. Show them how to read labels. Show them how to research ingredients that are good for health and those that are not. Even when you go out to eat, explain to them the best choices.
I know this can sound like a lot. Our lives are so busy now, which can make it hard to integrate these activities in our lives. Take baby steps. Make time for one thing until you've got it down and then try to add something else. Make it fun! Think of the long-term benefits. It doesn't have to be down hill from here.
Do you need help learning these skills yourself? Do you want to learn simple realistic changes you can make for healthier living? Come to Ben Archer Health Center's health fair on June 28, 2008 from 10:00am-2:00pm. You can also call us at 443-8133 (ask for our health educator). We want to help!
Otero County Community Health Council
700 E. 1st St.
Suite 720
Alamogordo, NM
88310
(575) 443-8100
Fax (575) 437-2949
oterochc@tularosa.net
oteromch@netmdc.com