Every year, I’m lucky enough to be invited to Boston University to be a guest lecturer in their community nutrition class (a class I went through back in my undergraduate days). I speak about childhood and school nutrition, and love sharing my experiences from teaching elementary nutrition education classes with these aspiring dietitians. And it’s always fun seeing their professor, Joan Salge Blake. She has been someone who has always inspired me, and has got to be one of the most energetic and passionate dietitians I know!
While working on my presentation tonight for their class on Wednesday, I pulled out a few statistics that I wanted to share. Take a minute to consider these numbers:
20
Percent of children aged 6 to 11 who are obese, according to the CDC. If your child struggles with overweight and obesity, try to make healthy eating and exercise a family priority! Parental example and modeling are very important, especially for younger children.
7 hours and 38 minutes
The average amount of time an 8 to 18 year old child reports using media – including mobile media, television, video games, and the computer. Students who report more screen time tend to have poorer grades in school. Think about setting limits on screen time – the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 2 hours of screen time per day. Focus on other activities, especially fun ways your child can be active – like rollerblading, dancing, or riding bikes.
38%
The increased odds of passing the math MCAS (Massachusetts standardized testing system) with each 1-unit increase in the number of fitness tests passed (Chomitz et al, 2009). The odds of passing the English Language MCAS increased by 24% with each 1-unit increase in fitness scores. Recent research in many locations and with many age groups supports that students who are more active tend to have better grades and standardized test scores. Even a single bout of exercise can help improve focus and learning!
While working on my presentation tonight for their class on Wednesday, I pulled out a few statistics that I wanted to share. Take a minute to consider these numbers:
20
Percent of children aged 6 to 11 who are obese, according to the CDC. If your child struggles with overweight and obesity, try to make healthy eating and exercise a family priority! Parental example and modeling are very important, especially for younger children.
7 hours and 38 minutes
The average amount of time an 8 to 18 year old child reports using media – including mobile media, television, video games, and the computer. Students who report more screen time tend to have poorer grades in school. Think about setting limits on screen time – the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 2 hours of screen time per day. Focus on other activities, especially fun ways your child can be active – like rollerblading, dancing, or riding bikes.
38%
The increased odds of passing the math MCAS (Massachusetts standardized testing system) with each 1-unit increase in the number of fitness tests passed (Chomitz et al, 2009). The odds of passing the English Language MCAS increased by 24% with each 1-unit increase in fitness scores. Recent research in many locations and with many age groups supports that students who are more active tend to have better grades and standardized test scores. Even a single bout of exercise can help improve focus and learning!
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