Teaching Healthy Habits at Home

Keeping kids safe and healthy is one of the most important jobs a parent has. But keeping them healthy has become more complex over the years, especially as rates of childhood obesity rise.

Our physicians and care teams have recognized that it is essential to work with the whole family on healthy behaviors to raise healthy kids. Those behaviors include eating nutritious food and getting physical activity on a regular basis.

The health system offers the comprehensive Healthy Hawks program to patients in the Kansas City metro area, and The University of Kansas Medical Center is offering a study called iAmHealthy Parents First for families in rural Kansas. Regardless of whether you can participate in either of these, we have tips for parents to use with their families to start teaching healthy habits.

Learning what to eat

Behavioral scientist Christie Befort, PhD, says that hyperpalatable foods are particularly challenging for kids. They're very prevalent, come in attractive packaging and are easy to eat.

"I just want to encourage parents. Those hyperpalatable foods are so easy to grab and go. It takes more time, more thought and more energy to focus on this. We're all busy. But it's worth the time, and it's worth the effort that you put in for your whole family," says Dr. Befort.

To help teach kids good nutrition habits, the researchers use a stoplight system where foods are categorized as red, yellow or green. They say kids as young as 5 can easily learn and understand this.

"When these types of diets were originally formed, kids were eating around 4 red foods per week. Now our kids that are entering this study are eating around 8 red foods per day," says Ann Davis, PhD, clinical psychologist. "It's not that you shouldn't eat the red foods. You just want to be aware that you're eating red foods. It might be marketed as low calorie or healthy for you in some way, but it is still categorized as a red food."

Red foods

Yellow foods

Green foods

Focus on the whole picture

While nutrition is an essential part of maintaining a healthy weight, the researchers stress that it is important to focus on other goals as well. That usually includes physical activity, like increasing the number of steps you're getting each day. But it can also include other behaviors like drinking more water or accomplishing tasks on time.

"I try to start those conversations by saying that we all have things we need to work on. None of us are perfect. So we start with every person in the family having a challenging goal to work on, whether it's around healthy lifestyles, going to bed on time or doing their homework. Getting everyone working on some sort of goal can help you to form a team and join with your kids on a journey to self-improvement," says Dr. Davis.

Making sure you focus on what you can control and discussing what is out of your control is one way to avoid reinforcing any stigma or shame with your kids.

Overall, remember to focus on the quality of your life. Talk with your kids about how they feel.

• Do you feel strong?
• Do you feel more rested?
• Do you feel happy around your friends and family?
• Do you feel prepared at school?
• Do you enjoy certain sports or activities more?

Dr. Befort stresses taking a big-picture view and noticing how healthy lifestyle changes have trickle-down benefits throughout your life.

Reviewed by Ann Davis, PhD, a clinical psychologist with The University of Kansas Health System, and Christie Befort, PhD, a behavioral scientist with the University of Kansas Medical Center.