Counteract sedentary lifestyle for children

Americans have changed their level of activity over the years, and that more sedentary lifestyle is tipping the scales toward poorer health for children.

"In the 1960s, 40 percent of kids walked or biked to school. Now it's 13 percent," says Dr. Tamara Lewis, director of community health and prevention for Intermountain Healthcare. "Most schools no longer require physical activity every day, to focus on the academic side. But health gets short-changed."

The importance of exercise and good nutrition to control weight and improve the overall health of children is the topic of Saturday's Deseret Morning News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline. From 10 a.m. to noon, Lewis and Pauline Williams, a dietitian and manager of the outpatient clinical nutrition program at Primary Children's Medical Center, will take phoned-in questions on food, activity and weight for kids.

Studies show that nearly 10 percent of Utah kids are obese and one-fourth are overweight. Doctors who treat children say they're increasingly seeing health problems once associated with older patients, including type 2 diabetes.

Intermountain's public service campaign, called LiVE, is directed at helping kids and the adults who love them choose active lifestyles and healthy foods. They teach that people need to limit screen time — whether it's a TV, a movie, a computer or video game — and increase their physical activity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says children under 2 should have no screen time. It can hurt their physical, mental and social development, Lewis says. At 3 and older, it should be no more than two hours a day. Smaller amounts are better.

"We're asking kids to play more," she says. Besides improving self image and fitness, it increases energy, improves sleep, helps with social skills and adds more joy to life.

Experts say children should never have TVs in their bedroom. It interferes with sleep, which triggers a host of issues, including a tendency to be overweight. They say that time spent watching TV should be countered by time being active. "Get on your bike for a half-hour if you're going to watch that show. Or exercise while you watch." Try "commercial calisthenics": When the ads come on, get up and run around.

Concerned that many children are now being driven to school, more parents nationwide are forming walking car pools, where the group follows a route to pick up other kids, one of the parents supervising.