just for women
Diabetes Prevention for the Family
Watching your weight is no
longer just for adults —
those numbers count for
kids, too. Childhood obesity is rapidly
increasing, and type 2 diabetes, once
called “adult-onset diabetes,” is now
showing up at an alarming rate in
many of our nation’s children. So
what can you do to make good health
a family affair?
Food for Thought
Eating healthy foods needs to be part of your daily life. Offer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains at every meal. Also, include low-fat and nonfat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and legumes (lentils and beans). Offer water instead of soda and sports drinks. Even fruit juice should be limited, due to its high sugar content.“If you serve these things regularly and your children get used to that routine, you’re less likely to get complaints from the kids,” says Kim Campbell, RN, BSN, Outpatient Diabetes Education Coordinator. “If your child chooses not to eat what you’ve served, offer an easy but healthy alternative instead, such as a turkey sandwich or a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. There are whole-grain white breads available if your child does not like the taste of whole-grain or wheat bread.”
It may seem daunting to offer healthy choices all the time, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to serve the perfect meal three times a day, every day. “If you order take-out or pizza for dinner once in a while, that’s OK, but put some healthy food alongside it, such as a salad or some fresh fruit,” Campbell says.
Be sure to serve a variety of healthy foods, as no single food offers complete nutrition, and kids will quickly tire of the same thing. You may also try getting your kids involved with choosing the week’s meals and preparing them. This can make them more likely to eat it if they feel they’re part of the process. Also, serve them childsized portions and wait for them to ask for more if they want it, rather than overloading them with more food than they want or need.
Get Moving
Exercise doesn’t have to involve a trip to the gym or lifting weights.“As a family, you can come up with opportunities to get your 30 minutes of physical activity every day,” says Campbell. “Instead of watching TV after dinner, go for a family walk.
If your child has a favorite activity, such as skating, try to find ways to get involved and bring the rest of the family along.”
Other ways to keep kids off the couch include limiting inactive time in front of the TV or computer games, and keeping TVs out of kids’ rooms. New studies show that people eat more when they’re watching TV, so offer healthy snacks for TV watching — if your child is actually hungry.
If you make healthy food choices and get some physical activity each day, your child will learn from your example. Help your family maintain a healthy weight, and lay the foundation for good health!
Chelsea Community Hospital offers an Outpatient Diabetes Education Program that helps people with diabetes adjust to living with the disease by making lifestyle changes and staying healthy. Diabetes nurse educators and dietitians assist in developing a personalized education plan to meet the patient’s individual needs.
Chelsea Community Hospital also offers a monthly Diabetes Sharing Group, a free support group for area residents and their families who have diabetes.
