Schools, parents should work together to keep kids at healthy weight
By Dana Benson
A new study by Baylor College of Medicine researchers has shown the effectiveness of a school-based weight management program. That's great news, but parents must not lose sight that they too play an important role in helping their children establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Parents wouldn't leave their child's education completely up the school system, with none of their own involvement. They read to their children to get them school-ready, supervise homework and projects and attend school functions and meetings. They can take the same approach to their children's weight management.
School intervention
Schools can certainly play a role in weight management, as shown by the study that appeared in the journal Obesity. A school-based program for Mexican-American children enabled them to maintain significant weight loss over a two-year period.
"The study shows that school-based intervention programs can be effective," said Dr. Craig Johnston, instructor of pediatrics at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.
The program was broken into two 12-week parts. The first included at least one nutrition class per week and at least three physical activity sessions per week. The next 12 weeks consisted of maintenance in which the youngsters learned how to apply the lessons of the treatment program in their daily lives. A snack intervention program taught children how to substitute healthier snacks throughout the day. Peanuts and peanut butter with fruits and vegetables were given to help reduce hunger. Parents were given additional information about nutrition through notes sent home with children and monthly meetings held in English and in Spanish.
Parents' role
Parents can do many of these same things at home. Encouraging children to spend less time in front of the television and game consul and more time engaged in physical activity is one important step parents can take.
Parents can also offer the same healthy snacks at home, and they can find a lot of information and resources online that will help them in their efforts to promote healthy eating. The USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital is one place where such information can be found, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture also offers useful resources at www.mypyramid.gov.
Just as kids need encouragement and support from their parents to be successful in school, they need the same thing to achieve success in establishing and maintaining good health.
