7/30/2019 HKK Newsletter January 2013

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Take the FamilyLifestyle Quiz!

Do you and your family:

1. Have regular scheduled meal

times when you are home?

2. Eat a meal together at leastonce a day?

3. Eat planned snacks (instead ofjust grabbing what ever isaround when hungry)?

4. Tailor portion sizes to eachpersons needs?

5. Plan and prepare meals to-gether once a day?

6. Eat three meals every day?

7. Try to make mealtimes pleas-ant?

8. Avoid requiring a clean platebefore leaving the table?

9. Make meals last more than 15minutes?

10. Eat only in designated areas?

11. Avoid using food to punish or

reward?

12. Enjoy physical activities to-gether at least once a week?

Give yourself:

2 points for every yes

1 point for every sometimes

0 points for every no

How did you score?

20-24 pointsGreat job!

13-19 pointsGood job; reviewthe no and sometimes answers

to see what changes you can make.

Less than 12 pointsMake strate-

gies for eating well a priority in thenew year!

Source: American Dietetic Association,2003.

January 2013

Helping Kids Eat Healthy and Be Active

At the start of each new year, we typicallymake resolutions for the year ahead. Weresolve to eat healthier, save more, get fit,or quit smoking. As parents, we also makegoals related to the health and well beingof our children. We want them to get thevery best start in life.

According to the book, UnderstandingChildhood Obesity(Jackson: UniversityPress of Mississippi, 1999), researchershave found:When both parents are physically active,

the child is six times more likely to be physi-cally active. If one parent habitually eats high fat

food, the child is twice as likely to beobese.

If both parents eat high fat foods, thechild is three to six times more likely tobe obese.

Practicing healthy habits is good for ourown health, but the added benefit is thatwe are setting a positive example for ourchildren as well. These research findingsshow that parental modeling can increase achilds activity levels, but modeling un-healthy eating habits (or not modelingphysical activity) can increase the likelihoodof childhood obesity.

Reflect upon your personal behaviors, atti-tudes and feeding styles. Take the FamilyLifestyle Quiz (see sidebar, this page), de-veloped by the American Dietetic Associa-

tion, and see how you score. Your answersto the questions can help identify factorsthat might be positively or negatively influ-encing your familys health.

To make eating well and being active a pri-ority in the new year, start by talking withyour children about healthy choices. If youmanage stress by exercising, for example,explain how exercise helps you feel betterafter a busy day. As you eat breakfast, talkabout how your brain and body work betterwhen theyve had plenty of rest and a

healthy meal. The more you explain whyyou make healthy choices for yourself, thegreater the likelihood your children willremember those benefits and make healthychoices on their own.

Involve your children in selecting and pre-paring meals and snacks. Children aremore willing to try new foods when theyhelp select and prepare them. Bring chil-dren along when you do the family groceryshopping. Healthy eating will become lesschallenging if your children know they canenjoy their favorite fruit at breakfast or afavorite yogurt cup for a snack.

Children can also participate in the prepara-tion of healthy meals, such as washing andtearing lettuce for a salad, making patternswith fruit pieces on a skewer or stirringtogether a muffin batter. Then sit down toenjoy the family meals youve planned andprepared together. Keep mealtimes pleas-ant. If children express dislike of certainfoods, be patient. Remember that it takestrying something multiple times to acquirea taste for it. Forcing a child to eat a cer-tain number of bites or using dessert as areward is not effective and sends childrenconfusing messages. Instead, encourageone bite of a new food. Call it a taste test

or a sample then respect the childs opin-ion.

Frequent, age-appropriate physical activi-ties are also important. When doing them

with your children, follow their lead. Keeptheir age and abilities in mind and remem-ber that children need frequent breakswhen doing strenuous physical activity. Ifan activity proves to difficult, children willnot experience success or enjoyment. Asyou spend time with your children engagedin physical activity, youll be able to identifytheir interests, abilities and skill level.Best wishes to your and your family for ahappy, healthy new year!

By Cathy Gray, Child Care Awareof Kansas,Healthy Kansas Kids Coordinator

7/30/2019 HKK Newsletter January 2013

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Radon: Is It In YOUR Home?

Teriyaki Orange Salmon

Did you know Salmon is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D and protein?Try this kid-approved recipe today!

You will need:

1 salmon fillet per person (or half for a small child)

2 tsp. bottled teriyaki marinade per fillet

1 tsp fresh orange juice per fillet

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put each salmon fillet on a piece of foil approximately 6inches square. Drizzle the teriyaki marinade and orange juice over each one. Close up the foilto make a packet and put the packets in a baking pan. Cook in oven for 15 minutes or untilsalmon flakes easily. When ready, take the salmon out of the foil, put on a plate, and pour alittle of the juice over the top. Serve with stir-fried vegetables and rice. For variation, try add-ing a slice of mango on top of the salmon before cooking.

Source: The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers, & Children by Bridget Wardley and Judy MoreSource: www.oceanspray.com/recipes

Healthy Eats

Selecting Toys for Outdoor PlayWith the increase in childhood obesity, its more important than ever to encourage children toengage in physical activity and outdoor play. Toys can play an important role in the process. Iftheres nothing fun to do outside, it wont be long before your child is back to the TV or someother sedentary activity. Riding toys, such as tricycles, push toys and wagons build gross motorskills. They can foster fantasy play, as well as teach turn taking and sharing. If a toy doesnthave wheels and wont be ruined by a night in a snowstorm, it can be considered an outside toy.Whether its a slide, sandbox, or picnic table, be sure to choose sturdy products that fit yourchilds current age and ability. Letting your child grow into the toy sounds like a wise financialmove, but safety-wise, its a bad idea. Sports toys, such as soft, easy-to-handle balls and child-sized goals and hoops provide lots of opportunity for skill development. Even inexpensive childfavorites like bubbles and sidewalk chalk can promote physical play. Above all, follow yourchilds interests. Then grab some toys and head outside to play!Source: Toy Tips by Marianne Szymanski and Ellen Neubornes

Radon is a health concern because it is theleading environmental cause of cancer inAmerica. Radon is also the leading cause oflung cancer among non-smokers. A radioac-tive gas that cannot be seen or smelled, ra-don is produced by the natural breakdownof uranium in soil and water. Some areashave higher concentrations than others. Anybuilding can have a radon problem. Radongets into a building by moving up throughthe ground and then through cracks andholes in the foundation. Buildings can trapradon, which can lead to harmful concentra-tions indoors.

Children are more susceptible to the effectsof radon because they have smaller lungsand therefore higher breathing rates. Chil-dren also spend up to 70% more time in-doors than adults on average. According to

the US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), a nationwide survey estimates that 1 in5 schools have at least one room with a radonlevel that exceeds the recommended level.

The EPA and the office of the Surgeon Gen-eral recommend that all homes be tested.Common test kits are available at large homeimprovement stores and typically cost about$15. Test your home every two years or fol-lowing a significant renovation. To learnmore, visit:

US Environmental Protection Agency-www.epa.gov/radon

Kansas Radon Program-www.kansasradonprogram.org

Source: Eco-Healthy Child Care

Healthy Kansas Kids, a Program of Child Care Aware of Kansas www.ks.childcareaware.org

Funding for this project was provided in part by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, a philanthropy based in Hutchinson and the Kansas Health Foundation.

The Kansas Health Foundation is a private philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. For more information about the Kansas Health Foundation,

visitwww.kansashealth.org.

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