Kids Can Be a Great Influence on Their Parents
Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Wellness Forum Health
There are those who still insist that children are not interested in changing their diets, and that they won’t eat healthy foods. However, a study in Brazil showed that not only can kids be taught concepts about health, but that they can positively influence the behavior of their parents.
Dr. Luciana Fornari and her colleagues took 197 children between the ages of 6 and 10 enrolled in a private school. The kids and their 323 parents were divided into two groups. One group was provided with educational material at the start of 2010 and again mid-year that included advice about how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This material included information on exercise, diet, and smoking cessation. The other group got the same materials, but the children in that group also attended a weekly educational program about preventing cardiovascular disease. Nurses, psychologists, and nutritionists used age-appropriate materials for the kids, who were encouraged to draw, write stories, and paint pictures representing the concepts they learned. Kids also participated in cooking classes and discussion groups about how to make healthy choices. The kids and their families had opportunities to participate in group athletic activities too.
Data was gathered from the parents and their children at the beginning and end of 2010, and the researchers determined the 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) of the parents at the beginning of the study. At the end of the study period, there was a 91% reduction in the number of parents with an intermediate or high risk score in the intervention group as opposed to a 13% reduction in the control group.
We need to continue directing programs at adults about how easy it is to use diet and lifestyle to change health status, but we also need to stop underestimating children. When the information is presented properly, they can and will learn about health, change their own habits and even help their parents to get better too.
Targeting children is best way to influence parents
August 29, 2011 Lisa Nainggolan