According to a July 23 article by Adam Helmsing of the Marshalfield News Herald, the researchers discovered that many students who improved their body fat percentage during the school year gained weight during summer vacation:
"It would seem that the summer months offer prime opportunities for riding bikes, playing ball, swimming, and other activities that burn calories, but it appears that much of this time is spent in more sedentary activities like watching TV and playing video games," said [Susan Nitzke, a nutrition specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Extension].
Experts with whom Helmsing spoke offered the following tips to help children maintain a healthy weight during summer vacation:
- Share activities with your children.
- Play games outside, take a walk, or ride bikes together whenever the weather permits.
- Try to avoid concentrated sweets. Eat nutritionally dense foods instead.
- Set activity goals each week and plan small rewards to celebrate reaching these goals.
- Keep chips, candy, soda and other "junk" foods out of the house. When it's time for a snack, make sure healthier options like fruits, vegetables, whole-grain crackers and low fat milk are available.
Labels: nutrition, overweight children, summers
Posted By: Aspen/CRC
