NIH Radio
Parents can help children have a healthy school year
Brief Description:
Health experts explain that it is important for parents to help their children, especially those with diabetes, have a healthy school year.
Transcript:
Balintfy: A new school year signals it’s time for kids to be with friends, study new subjects, and get involved in after-school activities. Dr. Griffin Rodgers, an NIH institute director adds, that with so many demands on parents and children during the school year, it’s easy for healthy eating and physical activity habits to take a back seat
Rodgers: We want to remind parents and their children that they don’t have to let school days lead to skipped meals and inactivity.
Balintfy: He points out that healthy eating and regular physical activity are two very important ways to help children feel energized, learn better and stay alert during the school day. Diet and activity also play a part in overweight and obesity.
Rodgers: If your child is overweight or obese, he or she is at greater risk for developing serious health problems such as diabetes. If you think that your child is overweight or obese, talk to your health care provider.
Balintfy: And for those parents of a child with diabetes, Dr. Rodgers adds that back-to-school time is especially important.
Rodgers: Diabetes needs to be managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—in school, on field trips, and at extracurricular activities. Parents of a child with diabetes know how important it is to maintain safe blood glucose levels. And, they know the warning signs when their child needs help. With summer over and their child going back to school, parents want to be sure that the school nurse, teacher, and other school staff are prepared to help their child manage their diabetes and respond to emergencies.
Balintfy: Dr. Rodgers recommends parents take action, work with a health-care team, and meet with a school nurse to provide all supplies and medicines needed to carry out a child’s health care and emergency plans. More information on helping students with diabetes is available at www.YourDiabetesInfo.org. For healthy eating and physical activity information, visit the Weight-control Information Network at www.win.niddk.nih.gov. And more from Dr. Rodgers can be heard in Episode 141 of the NIH Research Radio podcast. This is Joe Balintfy, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 9/01/2011
Reporter: Joe Balintfy
Sound Bite: Dr. Griffin Rodgers
Topic: back to school, healthy school year, child, children, parents, healthy eating, physical activity, overweight, obesity, diabetes, diabetes risk
Institute(s):
NIDDK
Additional Info:: www.YourDiabetesInfo.org
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