Bottom Line:

“It takes a village to raise a child.” You’ve probably heard that quote in the past, and there is a lot of truth behind it. During childhood and adolescence, our bodies and minds grow at an unprecedented rate and set the foundation for the rest of our life. Our development is forged through the challenges and new experiences we encounter growing up. Top researchers have discovered that our experiences around food, movement and exercise play a massive role in our future health and even our susceptibility to disease processes as we age!

Why it Matters:

Developing a healthy child isn’t easy. The ease of modern living includes everything from food delivery to instant downloads of the latest video games. Yet, if you’re like me, there still never seems to be enough time!  It can be challenging to encourage healthy habits for ourselves and our kids. However, a little bit of effort today can pay huge dividends down the road. The number of children in the past 20 years who are now classified as overweight or obese has skyrocketed and, as a result, many of the medical conditions which were typically associated with adults have now afflict our kids.

• Eating healthy and staying physically active can help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
• Researchers have found that sugar is tied to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity.
• Encouraging healthy habits around food and physical activity early in life can help your child live a longer, healthier life.

Next Steps:

If you’ve struggled with successfully developing healthy habits around exercise and eating in your home, let us know. We have a variety of resources we would be happy to share. We believe that a “village” of community members who are proactive about health and wellness can make a huge difference in the growth and development of our children, leading to happier and healthier lives!

Science Source: Preventing Chronic Disease Through Improving Food and Activity Environments. Childhood Obesity 2014