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TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
A lot of kids have been pushing up the scale numbers while home during the pandemic — and parents need to take steps to prevent the dreaded “quarantine 15,” an expert says.<\/p>\n
“During the school year, most parents rely on schools to provide their child with regular exercise<\/a>,” said Dr. Joyce Samuel, an associate professor of pediatrics<\/a> at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).<\/p>\n “Because of the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19<\/a>, it is important for parents to focus on their child’s health and ensure they are getting the proper exercise<\/a> and nutrition<\/a> to avoid child obesity<\/a>,” Samuel said in a center news release.<\/p>\n If your children are learning remotely, she noted there are plenty of apps with videos for short, home-based workouts that usually require little or no equipment. Another option is to get outside for a daily 30-minute walk or jog.<\/p>\n “As long as you are maintaining social distancing and staying with members of your household, this is a safe way to get some fresh air and regular exercise<\/a>,” Samuel said.<\/p>\n Other exercise<\/a> suggestions for children include: jumping rope or running<\/a> to help strengthen bones; playing games like tug-of-war to strengthen muscles; aerobic activities like bike riding<\/a> or walking<\/a> to benefit the heart<\/a>; outdoor sports; scooter riding; tag, and neighborhood scavenger hunts.<\/p>\n Schedule activities for children several times a week, Samuel said.<\/p>\n In terms of diet<\/a>, provide children with meals that have both protein and produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good, cheaper alternative to fresh produce, as long as there’s no added sugar<\/a>, syrup or salt.<\/p>\n Limit unhealthy drinks<\/a> and snacks like chips, cookies, candy and gummies. Encourage children to drink water instead of soda, juices or sports drinks<\/a>.<\/p>\n “As parents, we need to understand that a healthy diet<\/a> and exercise provide great benefits to our children’s minds and bodies,” Samuel said. “Many kids are stressed right now due to all of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19<\/a>, and doing regular exercise is a great way to relieve stress<\/a> and develop healthy habits at a young age.”<\/p>\n Adequate sleep<\/a> is also crucial in preventing obesity<\/a>: eight to 10 hours a night for teens<\/a> and nine to 12 hours a night for children ages 6 to 12. Reducing screen time can also help lower the risk of becoming overweight<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Later bedtimes have been shown to be associated with obesity, so putting the devices away at a reasonable bedtime and getting back to a more typical sleep<\/a> schedule is another way to combat obesity,” Samuel said.<\/p>\n — Robert Preidt<\/p>\n![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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