Nutrition and Physical Activity Articles
These articles provide helpful information, tips and advice regarding nutrition, physical activity and healthy choices.
Are Plant-Based Diets Safe for Kids?
No matter the reason, hearing a child say “I want to go vegetarian!” strikes fear in the hearts of many parents.
Beyond Video Games and Social Media: 3 Tips to Limit Screen Time and Add Exercise
Trying to take screen time away from kids will cause whining and sometimes anger. If you focus on adding physical activity slowly, screen time will go down as a result.
Complications of Childhood Obesity
By now it’s no secret that our kids are struggling with weight-related issues more than ever before. According to reports, 13 percent - or nearly one in every eight - of Ohio’s high schoolers are obese.
8 Ways to Improve a Child's Self-Esteem and Curb Childhood Obesity
As a pediatric obesity psychologist, I encounter kids and teens with low self-esteem almost daily. What is often looked over is the interaction between self-esteem, mood and emotional eating.
Food Insecurity: The Hidden Epidemic Someone You Know is Facing
Does putting food on the table worry you? If you are living in America, 1 in 8 of you will answer yes. Even if it isn’t you, chances are it’s happening to someone you know.
Healthy Holiday Eating: Salads, Dips and Spreads
Leading up to the holidays, meal preparation often becomes challenging. It’s a great time to work on cleaning out the pantry, cooking simply, and most importantly trying to keep it healthy.
Keeping Kids Active and Healthy - Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Daily physical activity for children is especially important with their transition back to school in the fall. We know physical activity can help improve self-esteem and mood, reduce symptoms of anxiety, decrease stress and even help to improve overall school performance!
Starting an Exercise Program
With a new year come the standard resolutions we all make: Lose weight and start exercising. Sounds good, right? Well, I want to come clean right from the start. I hate exercising. I am not one of those “fitness nuts” that you would expect to write one of these blog posts.
Catching Zzzs: The Importance of Sleep in Managing a Child's Weight
Certain body functions related to growth and metabolism have a rhythm that are established by the sleep-wake cycle. When we don’t sleep long enough or maintain a sleep routine, these rhythms are disrupted. This can lead to changes in appetite, exercise stamina and eventually weight gain.
Toddler Nutrition: How Much is Enough?
Is your child’s stomach as big as yours? Children are much smaller than adults so it is important to remember that we should feed them smaller portions as well as more frequent meals than those of adults since a smaller stomach will fill up faster.
Promoting Youth Fitness
Youth fitness has steadily declined over the past decade and childhood obesity is at an all time high. Here are some ideas to help empower the kids to make good activity choices.
Sensible Snacking for Children
Snacking is a very important part of growing children’s diets. Snacks help to prevent hunger in between meals as well as provide daily requirements for energy, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Strength Training with a Limited Budget
There are some simple ways to perform light strength training at home with everyday objects that can be used for resistance.
Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season
These are just a few small changes or substitutions that can help you keep those lurking holiday pounds away. Check out a few examples of some substitutions to keep in mind when baking those holiday treats.
Tips for a Healthier Halloween Night
Halloween doesn’t mean handing out sweets full of empty calories! Being healthy doesn’t mean giving up all of the treats. Check out some tips on how to enjoy a healthier Halloween night.
Weighing the Risks of Obesity
As school districts continue to reduce the amount of physical education children receive, we as parents have to step in and educate our children about not only the importance of exercise but how and when to do it.