How Do Children Spend Their Leisure Time? LifeCare Survey Has the Answers

WESTPORT, Conn., August 30, 2005 – 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 by LifeCare^®, Inc., the exclusive provider of Life Event Management^® Services. But judging by the overall results of the poll, it's easy to understand why childhood obesity is such a widespread problem. Asked to identify their children's main leisure activity, respondents answered as follows:

		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 poll was conducted on LifeCare's private web site throughout July and open to employees of the company's 1,500 client organizations nationwide.

“It's encouraging to note that the top response was `imaginative or dramatic play´ and that `playing sports´ tied for third,” said Jeffrey A. Burki, LifeCare's chief strategy officer. “But lots of kids are still spending their free time watching television, playing video games or sitting at a computer. Obviously, our children still need guidance when it comes to getting enough exercise and staying fit.”

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. Whether it's softball, swimming, martial arts or dance, your child will reap the fitness and self-discipline rewards.   Check out local school-aged athletic leagues. Most communities offer a variety of sports leagues for boys and girls such as baseball, softball, football, soccer, basketball and more.   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 can provide some educational benefits, they may also take away from time spent playing outdoors or doing other athletic activities.

Burki says that parents who want to encourage their kids to become more active can seek advice and counsel from their employer-sponsored work/life program. “At LifeCare, for example, we help clients locate fitness programs that cater to children, summer camps that focus on outdoor activities, even personal trainers who have experience motivating children. We also offer hundreds of health and fitness-related articles and educational materials that can help parents improve their children's health.”

Fitness Should Be a Family Affair

Burki says that parents should consider leading by example when encouraging their children to exercise more. “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.”

That's why LifeCare offers parents a wide range of health-related tools and resources to improve their own fitness levels. One of the most intriguing 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.). “Naturally, we also recommend that parents actually spend time exercising with their children,” Burki said. “Walking or jogging, swimming, cycling, playing tennis—whatever is convenient and fun for the family. And we stress the idea of fun because people are more likely to stick with activities they really enjoy over the long term.”

Exercise and dietary habits are set early in life, Burki adds. “So if you start encouraging your children to stay fit when they're young, it will benefit them for a lifetime.”

Notes to Editors

Jeffrey A. Burki is available for interview.

About LifeCare^®, Inc.
LifeCare is one of the largest privately owned employee benefits organizations in the U.S. and the exclusive provider of Life Event Management^® Services. With more than 21 years of experience in delivering highly personalized counseling, education and referral services, LifeCare helps employees manage the day-to-day challenges of their lives. In turn, LifeCare helps employers improve employee commitment, recruitment, retention and workplace productivity. LifeCare currently serves 1,500 client companies with 4.5 million individuals within health plans, governmental agencies, unions and corporations. For more information, visit www.lifecare.com.

Media contact: Michael Civiello
LifeCare, Inc.
pr1@lifecare.com
203-291-4170