Staying healthy is often challenging for adults, that’s why organizers at McLane Children's Hospital are encouraging parents to teach children healthy habits while they're young.
According to the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past few decades.
That's why McLane Children’s Hospital has created the Family, Food, Fun Program that teaches kids healthy life style choices starting young.
Program Manager Blair Murphy said the mission is to help families and children in the community develop healthy habits.
“When kids learn how to be healthy when they're younger they're learning all those behaviors that are going to set them for success as their adults,” Murphy said.
The program teaches kids how to properly cook, exercise, and monitor their salt and sugar intake.
And this is an activity Melissa Diaz said her family has greatly benefited from.
“We get to spend time as a family as we learn new skills that will actually keep my kids healthy and us healthy in the long run,” Diaz said.
Diaz has two children, her son Randy is 14-years-old and her daughter Nara, is 8-years-old.
She said at the start of the program they received a health assessment to learn what benefits their body specifically, and this caused their entire family to better monitor their health.
“We document what our water intake was, the kids get to know with the tracker they received how well they slept, and we as parents get to know how well they slept as well,” Diaz said.
Organizers said children are more likely to maintain those healthy habits the younger they're taught.
“It’s much easier to adapt healthier lifestyles when you're younger than it is later in life,” Murphy said.
This program is free and it’s offered once a month for children between the ages of 8 to 15 and their families.
To register click here.
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