How do kids grow into health conscious adults? By having the idea of health invested in them during their childhood regardless of if you live in an urban environment. Childhood habits can stay with your child into their adulthood. Researchers are looking further into how childhood affects future health.
“Researchers hope that by studying friendship and health behavior, they can find more effective intervention methods to keep kids healthy. Some parents said from fitness to food, kids tend to follow what their friends are doing.”
So if it’s all about their friends, what can you do? Choose healthy snacks over processed foods. Grabbing a bag of chips for your child might be easy, but the few minutes it takes to slice up an apple is worth it in the terms of their health. Healthy diets start at home during childhood and that mentality will follow them into their adult lives.
Diet isn’t the only thing to consider when it comes to health, though. Your child also needs to stay active. Green grass might be hard to find in urban areas, but you should still make sure that exercise is not just a daily activity but also a vital part of their lifestyle and include their friends. Kids look at the way their peers exercise and eat and follow suit. So plan activities they can enjoy with their friends and inspire all your child’s friends to live a healthy lifestyle.
Learn more about childhood health in an urban setting from the article How To Have Healthier Kids.