We Can! Parent Tips: Healthy Families, Healthy Weight

Examples of Reducing Energy IN and Increasing Energy OUT

Reduce Energy IN:

• Instead of giving your child an entire bottle of fruit juice or soda, pour a small amount (1/2 cup) into a cup
• Prepare foods by steaming, baking or broiling instead of frying.
• For dessert, serve fruit (GO food) instead of cake, cookies or ice cream (WHOA food).

Increase Energy OUT:

• Bike to the library together.
• Turn off Saturday morning cartoons and take your child roller-blading or to the zoo.
• Plan family outings around physical activity like trips to the park, bike rides, or community sports events in which everyone participates.

Another step for you to try with your children is to reduce the amount of television and screen time they spend to less than two hours a day. Sitting in front of the television or computer for large periods of time can often lead to increases in children’s weight. Substituting more active play for TV time can help children maintain a healthy weight.

Resources. If you think you and your children need help to build better eating and activity habits, We Can! has a number of resources and useful materials to offer. They are available on the We Can! Web site at http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

We Can! Families Finding the Balance: Parent’s Handbook. The handbook talks about energy balance and how to choose foods in terms of Go, Slow and Whoa foods. GO foods are nutritious and low in fat and added sugar and can be eaten anytime. SLOW and WHOA foods are higher in fat, added sugar and calories and should be eaten less often. The Handbook offers suggestions for increasing physical activity and information on how many calories different activities burn (Energy OUT). You can order a free copy of the handbook by calling toll free at 1-866-35-WECAN.

Want to know more? Go to http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov and click on the “Learn It” or “Live It” links to get started! Other resources include a tip sheet on taking simple steps to improve nutrition and increase physical activity, BMI calculator, tips on cooking and eating healthy meals, fact sheets and worksheets to keep you on track and record your progress. If you don’t have a computer at home, visit your local library or ask your child’s school librarian or computer teacher for help in downloading these materials.

Community resources. If you would like to talk to other parents about helping your family stay at a healthy weight, We Can! has programs for parents and for youth available in a number of communities around the country. These programs offer a range of fun and entertaining activities for children and families. Your health care provider may have information on activities in your community. Or, check the We Can! Web site to fi nd out if there’s a We Can! community site program near you. If there’s not a program in your area, contact your local YMCA, church, parks and recreation department or school PTA and encourage these organizations to start one. The We Can! Web site includes a “Get Involved” page with tips on how organizations can get started.

Changing eating and activity habits takes time. Start with small easy steps like cutting out afterdinner snacks or adding an after-dinner walk instead of watching TV. Try to get your children involved in choosing a new healthy step to take each day. Making it a group effort will make it easier. And the payoff will be better health for the whole family and the satisfaction of having worked together to make it happen.

We Can! is an effort of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).