Mental health

So something that I found while doing some research for this topic that I found somewhat surprising is the importance of mental health in regards to a healthy lifestyle. I guess I figured that most of what is involved is either physical activity or nutritional aspects. In doing this research though I am convinced that the mental aspects are just as important as the others.

The first aspect that I think is extremely important for parents to teach to their kids, especially for those struggling with obesity, is not to fall into the dangers of weight obsession. This attitude is already permeated throughout the US, our kids don't need that reinforced through us. The psychological problems that can occur because of this are actually pretty large. Sometimes it can have the reverse effect, causing kids to have guilty binges leading to increased weight, and other times it leads to eating disorders. The important thing is to have a focus on a healthy weight, which is basically the balance the body achieves with healthy eating and meaningful exercise. So work together with your kids, as this will be specific to each individual, and help them gain this healthy perspective that hopefully will stay with them the rest of their lives.

Other aspects that I found that are also important are addressing mental issues that can make it difficult for children. These include:
Chain Breaking - breaking the link between eating and other activities, such as watching television, that are not a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Stimulus control - altering the environment to minimize the desire to eat unhealthily, such as storing foods out of sight or keeping healthy foods on hand to snack on.
Cognitive Restructuring - changing a child’s frame of mind regarding eating, such as substituting food with another incentive as a reward for accomplishing something good.
Monitoring - help children monitor what they eat and how they feel, which encourages independence and responsibility.

So keep these things in mind while raising your kids. Studying these really opened my eyes to the importance of mental health in regards to teaching our kids a healthy lifestyle.