Page 20 - The Peorian Issue 3 project

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Melton said it’s never too early
to learn good nutrition and eating
habits. She works with children
with weight problems through
the pediatrics department at
Methodist and she said there are
physicians and other dieticians
tackling childhood obesity in the
area.
One is Dr. Amy Christison, a
Peoria pediatrician who helps
lead classes on childhood obesity
at the RiverPlex and is piloting a
healthy living program at Manual
High School and Harrison Grade
School through District 150’s
In-School Health Program. It’s
for students who want to learn
better habits and get healthier
this winter.
Christison said she is
committed to curbing childhood
obesity. Noting in the Peoria
region 36.4 percent of children
are overweight and 16.8 percent
are obese — both comparable
to national averages — she
said obese children are two
to three times more likely
to be hospitalized than their
counterparts.
“The reasons for this epidemic
are complex and multi-factorial
but there are several factors
we do know,” she said. “Our
children’s risk for overweight
issues begins in the womb. An
example is that babies who are
small for gestation or large for
gestation — born to mothers with
diabetes related to pregnancy
— are at increased risk. Babies
who breast feed are at lower
risk. Promoting good prenatal
care and breast feeding can
reduce a child’s risk for being
overweight.”
Christison said children
learn at an early age to model
what they see. “They eat what
and how their guardians eat.
Our overweight children are
a product of a society with
families who have behaviors
that predispose them to be
overweight. So, counseling
guardians about developing good
habits for themselves even when
their children are in toddlerhood
and preschool can help reduce a
child’s risk as they get older,” she
said.
She cited the American
Academy of Pediatrics message
“5-2-1-0.” That stands for “5 fruits
and veggies, less than 2 hours of
screen time, 1 hour of exercise
everyday and almost 0 sweetened
beverages.”
“Those simple family rules
about eating and activity can
change several behaviors and
reduce a child’s risk for becoming
overweight. I try to focus families
and children on what they can eat
more than what they can’t eat,”
she said.
“Our society’s culture about
eating has also influenced our
size. Portion sizes are much
larger, increased availability in
high density foods, especially in
the form of fast food, distracted
eating with TV or computer
screens on occurs much more
frequently, and families no
longer have family meals
together during which mealtime
is pleasant and unhurried. Meals
and snacks are in the family room
on the couch with the TV on and
our children are not as aware
of how full or hungry they feel
because of these distractions,”
Christison said.
She said she recommends
families check out
choosemyplate.gov. It is an
interactive site about balanced
eating with healthy portion sizes.
Christison said she will ask
families to find one or two
behaviors they feel strongly
motivated to change and feel
confident they can be successful
at. “Families can influence
their health positively with one
or two feasible and reachable
goals at a time. Change is
something families have to want
for themselves and it is born
out of their own values and
desires. One of those values is
one of ‘well being.’ They have
to decide for themselves how
they will embody that value with
behaviors and family rules.
“It is from this construct that
families can find motivation,
desire and success for change.”
Lose Weight
“Children learn at an
early age to model
what they see.”
20
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