Childhood is the best time to learn the healthy
habits that can last a lifetime. The earlier in life
your child builds good, healthy habits, the easier
it is to keep them, for the best possible health.
Your child learns habits by watching you. If you
have healthy habits, like eating a variety of
healthy foods and being active, your children
are more likely to build those habits into their
own lives.
Healthy eating
Healthy eating can help your child feel good,
stay at a healthy weight, and have lots of energy
for school and play. Encourage your child to eat
lots of:
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Lean meats.
• Nonfat and low-fat dairy products.
• Whole grains.
Limit these foods:
• Fat, sugar, and highly processed foods
• Sweet liquids, such as soda, fruit juices, and
sports drinks
• Fast foods
Make small changes
Make healthy food choices for your family's
meals. Children notice the choices you make
and follow your example. Start with small,
easy-to-achieve changes, such as offering more
fruits and vegetables at meals and snacks.
• Set up a regular snack and meal schedule.
Most children do well with three meals and
two or three snacks a day.
• Eat as a family as often as possible. Keep
family meals pleasant and positive. Avoid
making comments about the amount or type
of food your child eats. Pressure to eat
actually reduces children's acceptance of new
or different foods.
• Find at least one food from each food group
that your child likes. Make sure it is readily
available most of the time.
• Serve breakfast. Having breakfast with your
child can help start a lifelong healthy habit.
• Let your child drink no more than 1 small
cup of juice, sports drink, or soda a day.
Encourage your child to drink water when
he or she is thirsty.
• Don't buy junk food. Get healthy snacks that
your child likes, and keep them within easy
reach. Healthy and kid-friendly snack
ideas include:
◦ String cheese.
◦ Whole wheat crackers and peanut butter.
◦ Fruit and dried fruit.
◦ Baby carrots with hummus or bean dip.
◦ Low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit.
Healthy eating doesn't mean that your child has
to give up all treats. Those types of foods can
be okay now and then. Moderation is the goal.
Share the responsibility
You decide when, where, and what the family
eats. Your child chooses whether and how much
to eat from the options you provide.
Young children are good at listening to their
bodies. They eat when they're hungry and stop
when they're full. When you try to control how
much children eat, you interfere with this natural
ability. Keeping this division of responsibility
helps your child stay in touch with those
internal cues.
Help your children learn to eat slowly and
recognize when they are full. Don't let rules,
pleading, or bargaining dictate your child's
eating patterns.
Physical activity
One of the best things you can do for your
child's health is to help make physical activity
a habit. If physical activity is a habit for you, it
will more likely become a habit for your
children.
Find ways for your child to be active for at least
1 hour each day. Children can break up the time
into several 10- to 15-minute periods of vigorous
exercise throughout the day.
Make it fun
Don't force your children to exercise. Instead,
find activities that they enjoy. Make physical
activity part of daily routines.
• Jump rope, dance, skate, or play Frisbee with
your child.
• Walk with your child to do errands, or walk
to the bus stop or school, if possible.
• Have your child invite a friend over once a
week for an activity, such as a bike ride, a
water balloon fight, or building a snow fort.
• Let your child try different organized
activities to see what he or she enjoys, such
as tennis, T-ball, soccer, or martial arts.
• Let your child pick out a low-cost toy that
promotes activity, such as a jump rope,
Frisbee, or ball.
Get the whole family involved
When the whole family is involved in physical
activities together, children learn that being
active is fun and makes you feel good.
• Ride bikes, walk, fly a kite, or hike together.
• Give family members tasks such as
sweeping, weeding, or washing the car.
• Take your family to the park or pool.
• Join other families for group activities like
touch football, basketball, or hide-and-seek.
TV and video games
Limit TV, video games, or computer
time to 2 hours a day or less (not
including time for schoolwork). Help
your child plan how he or she will use
this time. Many doctors recommend
no TV for children under 2 years of
age. To help your child's brain
develop, it's best to talk, play, sing, or
read together instead.
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