Work/Life Trends
Fitness Should Be a Family Affair

It seems there are just as many kids playing sports as there are playing video games these days, according to respondents to a poll conducted recently by LifeCare. But judging by the poll's overall results, it's easy to understand why childhood obesity is a widespread problem.

The poll was conducted on LifeCare's private web site and open to employees and members of the company's 1,500 client organizations nationwide. It asked respondents to identify their children's main leisure activity. Here's how their answers break down:

Excerpted from A LifeCare Guide: Encouraging Healthy Habits in Your School-Aged Child Encourage your child to pursue activities he/she likes. Children who enjoy an activity are likely to stick with it. The type of activity isn't important, as long as your child is doing something physical—softball, swimming, martial arts, dance, etc. Check out local school-aged athletic leagues. Most communities have sports leagues for boys and girls such as basketball, baseball, softball, football, soccer, etc. Avoid emphasis on competition. If your child feels pressure to win, the activity may no longer be pleasurable. Children respond better when parents stay focused on the enjoyment of the sport or activity itself, not the result. Suggest walking, biking or roller-blading as a form of transportation. You and your child can get exercise by doing errands, visiting friends or going to a nearby park without using the car. Limit television viewing and time spent on the Internet. While these activities provide some educational benefits, they also take away from time spent playing outdoors or doing other athletic activities.

	Imaginative or dramatic play — 25%
	Watching television — 23%
	Playing sports — 14%
	Playing video games — 14%
	Spending time on computer (not playing games) — 12%
	Reading — 8%
	Arts and crafts — 4%

“The results are encouraging but lots of kids are still spending their free time watching television, playing video games or sitting at a computer,” said Jeffrey A. Burki, LifeCare's chief strategy officer. “Obviously, children still need guidance when it comes to getting enough exercise and staying fit.”

Burki says that parents should consider leading by example. “It sounds a little obvious but we've found that many parents take a 'do-as-I-say' approach when it comes to their children's fitness. Kids need role models, and the most important ones are always mom and dad, so we recommend that parents actually spend time exercising with their children. Walking or jogging, swimming, cycling, playing tennis—whatever is convenient and fun. People are more likely to stick with activities they really enjoy.”

How LifeCare Helps
LifeCare helps clients locate fitness programs that cater to children, summer camps that focus on outdoor activities, even personal trainers who have experience motivating children. The company also offers parents a wide range of health-related tools and resources to improve their own fitness levels. Among the newest programs it offers is an online Health Risk Assessment (HRA) that is integrated with a suite of Healthy Living Programs (HLPs). The HRA asks a series of questions designed to assess an individual's lifestyle habits and risk levels for particular conditions (cancer, diabetes, hypertension, etc.). It then generates a detailed report of the user's personal risk factors along with an action plan that recommends tests, medical services and lifestyle changes to minimize future risks. The HRA also provides direct links to specific HLPs that the user can immediately enroll in to begin improving her/his health. The HLPs are six-week programs that address a variety of health issues (cancer, diabetes, smoking, stress, diet, etc.).

Exercise and dietary habits are set early in life. So start encouraging your children to stay fit when they're young. It will benefit them for a lifetime.