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Cover Story

Reality checkup How healthy are today's children? By Elisabeth Handley, Dr. Bill Sears, and Marie Loggia-KeePublished: September, 2008

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Looking back 100 years in our nation’s history, it would appear that children’s health has improved dramatically. Child labor laws, increased affluence and immunizations, which have effectively eradicated deaths from childhood diseases, such as measles, polio and influenza, have significantly improved the life expectancy of the average American child. However, other factors are working to destroy the advances of the previous century with detrimental consequences to child health. In fact, health experts are concerned that today’s kids may (for the first time in U.S. history) have shorter life expectancies than their parents, according to a recent report in Time magazine. The heaviest concern of all The No. 1 risk factor for kids today is, no surprise, obesity. Health experts have been trumpeting this concern for years. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows a full 32 percent of the kid population is overweight, and 19 percent of children ages 6-11 years old were obese in 2004. Obese kids are already suffering from middle-age illnesses, such as heart and liver disease, diabetes, gallstones and even arthritis. “I feel we’re headed to a worse situation rather than better,” says Dr. Erna Wong, assistant chief of pediatrics for Kaiser Permanente. “The U.S. is ranked 20th out of 21 industrial countries in terms of well-being for kids, including physical, mental and emotional factors.” The good news is that the obesity rates have leveled off. According to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was no significant increase in obesity in U.S. children and teens between 1999 and 2006. So while our children aren’t getting heavier, they aren’t getting thinner, either. We still have a long way to go. Did you know …? Eating well and getting enough exercise go hand-in-hand with raising healthy children, and we discuss these topics in more detail later on in the story. But did you know that another way to help reduce obesity in our children is making sure they get enough sleep? A study this year at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that with each additional hour of sleep, the risk of a child becoming overweight or obese drops by 9 percent. “Kids aren’t getting enough, especially high school students,” Wong says. “There is so much pressure to study, play sports and other activities. They need nine to ten hours per night, and younger kids need more.” Don’t forget their teeth! One chronic childhood health issue that is often overlooked is tooth decay and cavities. Although fluoride in drinking water has helped improve our children’s oral health, tooth decay is still rampant among today’s children. The 2005 California Oral Health Needs Assessment reported 54 percent of kindergarteners and 71 percent of third graders have a history of tooth decay, and that more than 25 percent of elementary school children have untreated decay. Inner turmoil, too. As parents, we can be so focused on how healthy our children look on the outside, we forget that they have complex emotions, too. According to the CDC, “Mental health is an under-recognized serious health problem. An estimated 21% of young people in the United States between the ages 9 and 17 have diagnosable emotional or behavioral health disorders, but less than a third get help for these problems.” Be a good role model With all this grim news, what’s a parent to do? Experts agree, setting the right example is the biggest influence you can have on your child’s health. If you spend the majority of your weekends in front of the TV, so will your kids. Instead, plan family activities that include exercise, such as hiking, biking or swimming. A ‘Family Wii Fit’ or ‘Dance Dance Revolution Night’ will show kids how to make exercise fun. And substitute that side of fries with a green salad. Most importantly, Dr. Wong says, “Provide a loving, nurturing environment that provides security, where kids are accepted for who they are.” Kids with a strong foundation will make the right health choices, long into adulthood.     Elisabeth Handley is a contributing writer to OC Family magazine. Big, but not bigger... While a recent study found that childhood obesity levels had leveled off (not decreased) for the first time in decades, the numbers are still frighteningly high.  19% of kids are obese, defined as the 95th percentile on the mass body index (BMI). (Source: Time Magazine) How healthy is your own child? Is your son or daughter packing on too many pounds? Find out by going online and using the healthy weight calculator: www.webmd.com Nutritional Deficit Disorder It may be what’s causing your child’s behavioral problems. By Dr. Bill Sears We protect our children from as many dangers and unsafe situations as we can. But what about protecting their brain development? More than half of the children I see with learning or behavioral problems have a history of poor nutrition. In Orange County, 27 percent of 7th graders are overweight. One in four children eligible for school lunch programs don’t participate in them. Our children are simply not getting the nutrition they need to learn. Many children’s behavior and concentration problems show remarkable improvements with proper brain nutrition. If you notice these problems, examine their diet to rule out Nutritional Deficit Disorder (NDD). The brain is affected by what we eat. Research points to the impact of nutritional deficiencies – especially essential fatty acids – on the brain’s ability to affect learning and behavior. The Oxford Durham study, published in the journal Pediatrics in 2005, revealed that schoolchildren who were given omega-3 supplements showed improved reading and spelling scores. Smart fats like omega-3, found in seafood, make the brain grow and perform better. Omega-3s are rich in DHA, which supports healthy brain development, focus and learning. To give your child’s brain the nutrition it requires, make these simple changes and watch the difference: • Feed a brainy breakfast. Children eating a high protein breakfast perform better in school. • Raise a grazer: To steady blood sugar levels, eat twice as often, and half as much; chew twice as long. • Serve fish – or the next best thing: Fish is the best source of omega-3s. • Feed smart carbs: The brain prefers carbs that are naturally packaged with protein and fiber. Whole wheat toast with peanut butter is an excellent choice. • Avoid “dumb” foods: These include foods with MSG, aspartame and preservatives, or “liquid candy” (sweet drinks). • Run and play: Exercise improves the blood flow to the brain. More blood means more nutrients. Record everything your children eat and their resulting moods and activity levels. Once children with NDD are given a healthier diet, parents and teachers usually notice improved behavior and learning in about three weeks. Dr. Sears is the father of eight children and the author of more than 30 books on child care, most notably “The Baby Book,” – the ultimate how-to guide to raising children. Dr. Sears is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the UCI School of Medicine. Children and exercise Let’s pump it up! By Marie Loggia-Kee Newsflash! … but not really: According to a recent study, American children are not getting enough physical activity. What’s “enough?” The general guideline for children and adolescents is 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day, explains Chris Corliss, program coordinator for health and physical education for the Orange County Department of Education. However, according to the National Institutes of Health News, “At age 9, children average roughly three hours of MVPA on weekdays and weekends. By age 15, however, they average only 49 minutes per weekday and 35 minutes per weekend.” The largely sedentary lifestyle of American kids is well reported. Kids come home and sit in front of some type of screen for an average of three hours daily. Some of the blame, experts say, can be placed on schools, too, which don’t place much emphasis on physical education. Rather, their focus has been on hammering home the basics, such as math, English and science.     “But the pendulum is swinging back to looking at the whole child,” Corliss explains the evolution in thinking at the public-school level. “Kids who are healthy and fit do better in the classroom and on standardized tests. Some schools are now considering schedules that place kids in P.E. class right before they are going to take their most difficult subject.” The state flexes its muscle The state of California mandates that children receive at least 100 minutes of physical education per week for elementary students; and 200 minutes per week for middle and high school students.     Even so, “fewer than 10 percent of schools in Orange County have a dedicated physical education teacher,” Corliss says. Instead, regular classroom teachers, who don’t necessarily have any special training, oversee physical education.     The “new” P.E. integrates technology, Corliss says, with machines, such as treadmills. “It’s more of a fitness orientation to physical education, rather than a sports one.”     On the homefront, Wii Fitness, in which users are physically involved and active with the gaming system, is one of the “innovative” solutions, believes Corliss. Private schools, however, are not required to follow the state requirements. Dr. Sueling Chen, principal for Arborland Montessori Children’s Academy in Fullerton, explains that in addition to daily recess, the students are taught a dedicated physical education program once a week. The school also offers optional programs in dance, swimming and martial arts. Parents need to play an active role Parents should ask about the physical education curriculum at school, and consider enrolling their children in after-school activities. You should teach kids the value of team and individual sports and other forms of exercise (such as yoga, Pilates, and stretching) at an early age.     Even better, organize a family bike ride, a local day hike or an after-dinner walk. Be your child’s role model by showing them how you deal with stress through meditation, laughter and maintaining social ties. By doing these things, you’ll establish their perception on what constitutes “being healthy” is for the rest of their lives. Marie Loggia-Kee is a regular contributor to OC Family magazine. The most popular high school sports programs Boys Football Basketball Track & Field Baseball Soccer Wrestling Cross Country Golf Tennis Swimming & Diving Girls Basketball Track & Field Volleyball Softball – Fast Pitch Soccer Cross Country Tennis Swimming & Diving Competitive Spirit Squads Golf Source: 2006-2007 Athletics Participation Summary, The National Federation of State High School Associations

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