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Making Health Happen Preventing Disease, Promoting Health, Protecting You This week’s writer is Betty Perkins, a Public Health Nurse with the Chronic Disease Team. July 6, 2004
Have an Active Family Summer
The winners of the Turn off the Screens summer challenge have been announced, and prizes have been awarded. And now summer is here. What do you and your family have planned to keep active and healthy throughout the summer? Why not focus on family fun!
The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute reports that Canadian children aren’t active enough for optimal growth and development. This is partly due to the time children spend watching television, playing computer games, and surfing the Internet instead of playing outdoors.
You can improve your family’s health this summer with a more active lifestyle. Here are some tips from the Canadian Pediatric Society and the Canadian Teachers Federation for encouraging kids to become more physically active: · Educate kids about the importance of physical activity. · Be a positive role model. Use the stairs, go for brisk walks and leave the car at home for short trips. · Set limits on the amount of time spent watching TV or playing on the computer for you your and kids. · Provide kids with the opportunity to learn lifetime skills such as swimming , soccer, baseball, basketball, martial arts, dance, and gymnastics. · Offer a wide choice of activities beyond organized sports, such as washing the car, walking the dog, planting the garden, playing tag or helping with chores around the house.
Health Canada also suggests: · Take a walk after supper – and make the walk an adventure. · Ride your bikes on a trail. · Organize neighbourhood games to help kids make active choices. · Dance, dance , dance.
According to Canada’s Physical Activity Guide, you should start out gradually. Increase the time spent by your family on physical activity gradually, starting with 30 minutes a day. At the same time decrease your family’s non-active time spent on TV, video games and surfing the Internet, by the same amount.
And remember to have FUN!
For more tips on how to improve your family’s health and physical activity level, contact Public Health in Owen Sound at 376-9420, Walkerton at 881-1920 Durham at 369-3318 or visit our web site at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca. -30- |
We work with the Grey Bruce community to protect and promote health
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