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Five Great Ideas

for Family Exercise

Tone up with team sports. You don't have to have 10 kids to have a basketball team. Take traditional team sports and pare them down to fit your family roster. For example, you and your partner could team up against the kids in a game of soccer in the park, or you and your daughter could play a game of one-on-one basketball.

Get some action this vacation. Have you considered turning your annual vacation into a family fitness adventure? Try camping, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking.

Take your kid to gym class. Your gym class, that is. Many fitness centers and gyms allow children older than 13 to lift weights, use the pool and cardio machines, and participate in club sports. Find out your gym's requirements, and consider bringing your older child along for workouts.

Track your progress. If your local running track has a grass infield, take your children with you the next time you head out to do some sprints. Your kids can play on the infield, time your laps, and walk with you during your cool-downs.

After-dinner fitness. Turn off the TV after dinner, and instead ride bikes or walk around the neighborhood. You'll have better conversation and be doing something good for your body at the same time.

Online Resources:

Children's Nutrition Research Center
http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/

Created by the Baylor College of Medicine in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service, the Children's Nutrition Research Center is dedicated to investigating the nutritional needs of pregnant and nursing women, and children from conception through adolescence. The CNRC offers answer to common nutrition questions, recipes, and current nutrition news.

USDA: Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children
http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/KidsPyra/
http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/pyramid.gif

Following the Food Guide Pyramid is the best way to ensure your child is eating a balanced diet of grains, fruit, vegetables, proteins, and dairy products. Check out the USDA's version of the food guide pyramid for both younger and older kids.

ADA: Child Nutrition and Health
http://www.eatright.org/Public/Other/index_adaposchild.cfm

Did you know that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school? And that kids can learn about nutrition and have fun at the same time? If you're wondering why and how, The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has the answers with fun ways to exercise, suggestions for parents to become better eating role models, and information about the importance of meals.

American School Food Service Association
http://www.asfsa.org/

Looking for updates on the types of foods being served in public schools? This site also offers recipes and nutrition news.

FamilyFoodZone
http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/

The FamilyFoodZone gets your kids involved in good nutrition, too, by providing kid-friendly recipes, quick family meal suggestions, and expert nutrition advice.

Article Sources:

Children's Nutrition Research Center
http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/

USDA: Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children
http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/KidsPyra/

FamilyFoodZone
http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/

American School Food Service Association
http://www.asfsa.org/

ADA: Child Nutrition and Health
http://www.eatright.org/child/

www.FoodSafety.gov
http://www.foodsafety.gov/

Recommendations to Prevent and Control Iron Deficiency in the United States
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00051880.htm

Preventing Iron Poisoning in Children
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/bgiron.html

Calcium Requirements of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (RE9904)
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9904.html

Ronald A. Christensen, M.D., Medical Advisor

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