Childhood obesity impacts nearly a fifth of all minors in the United States. It’s an epidemic.

A child who is obese is likely to grow into an obese adult. Obesity is a major detriment to your child’s health.

In 2020, getting a child to be physically active isn’t as easy as it once was. Parents aren’t as willing to let their children go play games with friends in the neighborhood, and may children are distracted by videogames and other technology.

Here are a few tips for parents to help their children become more physically active and set them up for a healthy life.

1. Be a Role Model

A child with parents who aren’t physically active doesn’t have a good role model at home to base their behaviors off of.

If you do nothing but sit on the couch all day, your child won’t have any idea that there’s another way to live.

Show your child how fun an active lifestyle can be. This is also a great way to get them involved in games. You get to bond and you get to increase your own activity levels.

2. Encourage Active Games

While it’s okay to buy your child games that they can play from the comfort of your living room, it’s also good to buy toys and games that require them to move around.

Consider buying toys and equipment that are associated with popular sports. You can also try toys like jump ropes or trampolines.

These will make physical activity look fun to the child.

3. Set Limits On Technology

Technology is important for your child. While many people think that childhood is too early for things like tablets, these things can actually help your child’s fine motor skills and digital awareness (something they’ll need to live in the increasingly digital world).

This technology use should be limited until the child knows how to moderate it.

Limiting your child’s technology will force them to explore other types of play. This aids in their creativity and gives them the opportunity to be more active.

4. Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

Eating unhealthy snacks nonstop can make your child feel sluggish. They may not be getting the proper nutrition.

While this can be aided through vitamins and supplements (there are even special vitamins for kids by Vitabiotics) a healthy diet is important.

You’re in charge of your child’s diet. Make it a good one.

5. Use Active Transportation

When it’s possible, use things like bicycles to get from point A to point B. This shouldn’t be the case for long trips, but if you’re going down the road or to a shop in your neighborhood, walking or biking is a great alternative to taking the car.

This also lowers your carbon footprint.

It’s Important for Your Child to be Physically Active

Encouraging your child to be physically active is crucial for their long-term health. You’re responsible for keeping your child healthy and active, and it doesn’t have to be hard. It can even be fun!

It’s time to kickstart healthy and active lifestyles for both of you.

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