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.