It is
never too early or too late to address the health of your family.
Here are a few ideas for showing your children how to live a
healthy life.
As a parent, the things you do and say have a tremendous
influence on your child's behavior. Encourage your child to live a
healthy lifestyle by talking the talk and walking the walk. Don't
know where to start? Here are a few ideas.
Eat Right
There are many ways to assure that you have a healthy diet. One
is to get enough fruit and vegetables each day. A growing body of
research shows that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting
good health. To get the amount that's recommended, most people need
to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they currently eat
every day.
Action steps:
- Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter.
- Place a box of raisins in your child's backpack and in your
briefcase.
- Add strawberries, blueberries or bananas to your cereal,
oatmeal, or toast.
- Read more about nutrition for
everyone in your family.
Engage in Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is important for all age
groups. Being active helps control your weight, strengthen
your bones and muscles, improve your mental health and mood, and
reduces your risk of many life-threatening diseases.
Action steps:
- Encourage your children to be active for at least one hour a
day.
- Set a positive example by leading an active lifestyle
yourself.
- Take family walks or play active games together.
- Read more about physical activity
guidelines.
Take Care of Your Teeth
Did you know that even though tooth decay is largely
preventable it affects millions of Americans each year? Untreated
cavities can cause pain, inability to eat comfortably or chew well,
and embarrassment at discolored and damaged teeth—problems that can
greatly affect the self-esteem and quality of life of children and
adults.
Action steps:
- Use fluoride toothpaste.
- Drink fluoridated water when available.
- Schedule oral health examinations for yourself and your child
as recommended by your dentist.
- Learn more about protecting your oral
health.
Avoid Tobacco Use
Avoiding all forms of tobacco will reduce the chance that your
children will grow up using tobacco themselves. Cigarettes, cigars,
and spit tobacco—as well as the chemicals found in secondhand
smoke—hurt your health and are known to cause cancer. Babies who
are around tobacco smoke have weaker lungs than other babies. They
are more likely to have other health problems such as infections
and more frequent asthma attacks. Being around cigarette smoke is
also a known cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS). There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand
smoke and eliminating smoking in indoor spaces is the only way to
fully protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke.
Action steps:
- If you use tobacco, free quit support is available at
1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669).
- Don't allow smoking in your home or car.
- Talk to your kids about avoiding tobacco use.
- Learn more about Youth Tobacco
Prevention.
It is never too early or too late to
address the health of your family. CDC's National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion supports a variety of
activities that improve the health of children and adults by
preventing chronic diseases and their risk factors. For an overview
of how the Center works to protect your family's health before
conception throughout the life cycle, read Ties That Bind in the
January 2009 issue of Preventing
Chronic Disease Journal.
Content provided and maintained by the
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
