It starts slowly with little choices that you make every day. You fill up on junk food. You watch TV all day. You never get any exercise. You drink soda and stay up way too late. Before you know it, these become habits that are hard to break. These behaviors begin to stick and soon it’s too late.

Did you know that one third of all the children or teens in the United States – about 25 million kids – are either overweight or at risk of becoming so? Also did you know that when you are overweight, you are more likely to get diseases that can affect you as a kid and when you grow up? The good news is there are many things you can do now to take care of your body for the future. It’s never too early to start taking care of your health. If you work on being healthy now, it’ll be easier to do it when you grow up.

Why is it important to be healthy?

It is important to be healthy because healthy people are less likely to get serious diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. Usually, overweight and obese teens become overweight and obese adults. Obese kids, even as young as 6, can have changes to their heart muscles that could lead to problems later. Some obese kids even have elevated blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar at age 5. Those things can lead to very serious illness and problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Kids who are overweight are more likely to go to the emergency room than kids who are not overweight. It is clear that if you want to avoid getting very serious chronic diseases, not being overweight is one very important way to do so.

Being healthy also gives you more energy and lowers stress. Being healthy can improve your day to day quality of life and energy levels. Not only does physical activity help your lungs and heart, but it can help you calm down and decrease stress. Lots of stress can make you less able to fight germs which mean you get sick more often and stay sick longer. Stress can also cause neck pain and headaches.
Being healthy can not only help you live longer but can help you look better. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also improve the appearance of your skin, teeth, and nails and can give you that certain glow that makes you look great. Lastly, being healthy can help you gain confidence. Being healthy carries over into the way you present yourself as well as how you are perceived by others.

How do I get healthy?

The first step to getting healthy is getting exercise and physical activity. It is best to choose something that you really like to do. Make it fun! Playing in the playground, playing tag, and jumping rope are all great examples of fun and healthy activities. It’s best to have at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should include either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, which means activities such as running, jumping, or anything that makes your heart beat faster. In addition, it’s also important to do activities that strengthen your muscles, like doing pushups or sit ups, at least 3 times a week. A quick tip is to limit the number of hours you spend in front of a screen, either watching TV or playing video games. The more you watch TV the less likely you will be out doing things that move your body and get exercise. Limit your screen time to one to two hours a day.

The second step to getting healthy is eating nutritious foods. Olympic champion, Michael Phelps states, “Nutrition is something that’s important for everything you do.” Nutritious foods are ones that are full of important vitamins and minerals and proteins and don’t have a lot of bad stuff in them. It’s best to stay away from foods that have lots of sugar or fat, such as candy and fried foods. Even though they may taste good, they really aren’t that good for your body. It’s also important to have a balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables are a healthy addition to your diet. A good rule of thumb for fruits and vegetables is to eat different colors of fruits and vegetables so that you get many different kinds of nutrients. It is also important to eat a variety of foods. If you eat different foods, you are more likely to get the different nutrients you need. Kids need calcium to build strong bones. Low fat milk and cheese are great sources of calcium. Nuts and beans in addition to meats are healthy sources of protein. Also, remember to drink water. Our bodies are made up mostly of water so we need to constantly refill our bodies, especially after we exercise. The best thing you can give your body is fresh water. Cold water, not soda, is the best thirst quencher.

Sleep is also really important to your health. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning. Whether you're learning math, how to play the piano, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Not getting enough sleep makes you more likely to get heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stokes. Deep sleep helps you grow and develop. And when you don’t get enough sleep you just feel really sleepy!

What are some of the consequences of not being healthy?

With unhealthy behaviors come serious health consequences. Doctors predict that obese kids who go on to become obese adults have a 30 to 40 percent higher chance of having a heart attack than that of normal weight peers. They are also more likely to get a stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Studies show that obese adults who were obese as kids have higher chance of getting chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer than adults who became obese. How you live as kid – the things you eat and how you take care of your body - will impact how healthy you are as an adult.

The important thing is to start getting healthy immediately to avoid serious negative consequences in the future. So, if you want to live a long and healthy life, it’s time to start now! I know it seems like a very long time before you are grown up, but if you want your body to take care of you, you need to take care of it.



Works Cited

Dr. Wong, Julielynn. Obese Kids as Young as 6 at risk or Heart Issues. ABCNews. 26
September 2012. Article. 15 January 2013.

Easter, Michael. The NEW Michael Phelps Diet. Men’s Health. 1 August 2012. Article. 4
February 2013.

Hellmich, Nancy. One-third of kids tip scales wrong way. USATODAY. 5 April 2006.
Article. 10 January 2013.

Huchnergarth, Nancy. School buses no place for junk food ads. Times Union. 10 June
2011. Article. 8 January 2013.

Loonin, Meryl. Overweight America. Detroit: Lucent, September 22,
2006. Print.

Mayo Clinic staff. Fitness for kids: Getting children off the couch. Mayo Clinic. 22
January 2011. Article. 19 January 2013.

Simonson, Lisa. Why Is It Important To Be Healthy?. Live Strong. 5 April 2011. Article.
17 January 2013.

Unknown Artist. Food Pyramid. Diet Chart for Weight Loss. Pro Weight Loss Diet.
2012. Photograph. 1 February 2013.

Unknown Artist. Overweight Children. What’s Making Us Fat and Sick?. Garma On
Health. 27 July 2012. Photograph and Article. 1 February 2013.

Unknown Artist. Obesity. Clinical Problems Caused By Obesity. Endotext. 17 May 2010.
Photograph and Article. 31 January 2013.

Unknown Author. Top 10 Reasons to Stay Healthy. Marks Daily Apple. 19 February
2012. Article. 17 January 2013.

Unknown Author. Be a Fit Kid. Kidshealth. October 2012. Article. 18 January 2013.