In 2020, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation published a report titled “State of Childhood Obesity: Prioritizing Children’s Health During the Pandemic.” In it, researchers found that a little more than 15 percent, or one in seven children between the ages of 10 and 17, have obesity.
A little over a year later, the situation had not improved.
Health professionals suggest that to advance health outcomes for our youngest citizens, we must focus on health as a family.
With half of all New Year’s resolutions being health related, consider including the whole family in goal-setting this year! Here are some tips:
1. Call a family meeting. No one likes to be forced to make changes, but if everyone in the family is involved in the decision-making process, you can expect less resistance.
2. Be clear on what a resolution is. Oftentimes, New Year’s resolutions are spoken of in vague terms without measurable outcomes, which means they are really just wishes or hopes. Explain to children that the definition of “resolution,” according to the Oxford dictionary, is “a firm decision to do or not do something,” and that this year we will decide as a family some things that we will and will not do to make our lives better.
3. Look to the past. Reflect on great habits each family member had this year, then allow children to brainstorm ways they would like their life to get better in several categories such as: health, education, and relationships.
4. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals. Using their ideas, guide children to write out S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timed). For example, rather than, “I want to get good grades,” write “I want to read 10 chapter books before April 1st.” Instead of “stop getting in trouble for hitting my brother,” try something like, “Get in less than one fight per week with my brother for six straight weeks.”
5. Decide on a health goal as a family. Explain that some goals are easier to achieve when we do them together and brainstorm something health related that all the family members could do together every day or most days. Could you sit down to a healthy dinner as a family four nights per week? Could everyone commit to 30 minutes of cardio (walking, biking, etc. outside, having a living room dance party, or turning on a free aerobics or yoga video on YouTube)? Could you stop buying processed foods from the grocery store or put a limit on drive-thru visits? Remember to make this goal S.M.A.R.T.
6. Consider your why. This may be different for each person. For mom, it may be to have more energy or to get to a healthy weight. For a child, it may be to avoid being bullied or be able to run faster. Avoid having appearance focused whys. Remembering your why helps keep you going on days when you’re not feeling motivated.
7. Break it down. Long term goals, like having a healthier, happier family, are more easily met when broken down into short term goals. Science suggests that it takes at least 66 days to form a new habit, so commit to the change you decide upon as a family for three months, then reevaluate quarterly at another family meeting.
8. Look at your goals every day. There are many free goal tracking apps, or printables. Make it part of the family routine to measure daily how well each person has stuck to their resolution. Congratulate and celebrate each other regularly!
Parents, let’s make this a year of healthy living in South Carolina by setting great examples for our children and teaching them how to set, reach, and achieve goals. The result might just be an improvement in health outcomes for our beloved little ones.
A West Ashley native, Allie Douglas and her husband Brock are parents to their son Jack, age 5.
