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Seminar: How to Raise Little Health Nuts

Dr. Starr Wedemeyer discussed ways to develop healthy eating habits for children at the first of Mountainland Pediatrics' free quarterly seminars on August 24th. A copy of her slides is available by clicking on the following:

mountainland_pediatrics_how_to_raise_health_nuts_2.pdf

Why Healthy Eating Habits Are Important

Dr. Starr Wedemeyer, Associate Medical Director of Mountainland Pediatrics, developed a keen interest in helping kids with unhealthy weight and fitness issues when she learned that the U.S. Surgeon General predicted that medical problems associated with obesity are likely to soon exceed those associated with cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, the incidence of childhood obesity is on the rise. "Very few people would argue that smoking isn't bad for you, yet many people think that it's okay for children to be overweight, because they think it's just harmless baby fat that they will outgrow. In fact, children who are overweight and obese are more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes in adulthood," she said. "I worry when I hear that the future generation may have shorter life expectancies than their parents because of unhealthy eating and fitness habits developed during childhood."

Childhood obesity is a difficult problem but there are solutions. "The solutions are not only good for the child, they're also good for bringing families together and strengthening family bonds," said Wedemeyer. "Let's plan meals together! Let's play tag with our kids! Let's each pick a different colored vegetable and make a salad together! Let's have FUN solving this problem!"