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Just ahead on this edition of Being Well, Sarah Betts, Healthy Kids educator from Sarah
Bush Lincoln Health System, is here to talk about nutrition and fitness for kids.
Sarah will share ideas and advice on how to get children active and interested in making
healthy food choices. We've got that and more next on Being Well,
so don't go away. [music plays]
Production of Being Well is made possible in part by.
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System supporting healthy lifestyles eating a heart healthy
diet, staying active, managing stress and regular check ups are ways of reducing your
health risks. Proper health is important to all at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System. Information
available at Sarah Bush.org. Additional funding by Jazzercise of Charleston.
Welcome back to this edition of Being Well. Sarah Betts, Healthy Kids educator from Sarah
Bush Lincoln, joins me today. Thanks so much for coming back.
>>Sarah Betts: Thanks for having me, Lori.
>>Lori Casey: Well, we're talking about kids and fitness
and healthy lifestyles. So, we're going to get right started into
the topic. Where are we at, we'll start nationally, in
terms of childhood obesity? Where are the rates at?
And are they going down at all? >>Sarah Betts:
Sure. Well, we see that one in three kids now is
considered overweights/obese. And so, we've definitely seen it increase
over the last 20 years, you know, in that number to where we're at today.
We are, however, seeing some progress in more of the preschool age, two to five year olds,
we are seeing a decrease, even in our area locally.
A report from Head Start shows that we had a 10% decrease this year in their kids that
attend their centers. So, that's huge.
You know, that's definitely what we want to see.
And you know, it seems to be attributed to everybody getting on board and everybody seeing
that they need to serve nutritious foods, we need to make sure that kids are getting
physically active. And then, we've also seen a decrease in sugary
drinks in that age group, in the two to five year olds.
So, that's really big progress. >>Lori Casey:
So, obesity, we've talked about nationally, where is it here in Illinois?
Are we above, below, or at the national average? >>Sarah Betts:
Well, we're, state-wise, we're ranked about the 24th most obese, you know, state.
So, you know, definitely a lot of progress we need to see going on in our state, as well.
And we see that in our service area, the counties that we cover at Sarah Bush Lincoln, we have
about 9,000 kids considered in that overweight/obese category.
>>Lori Casey: Okay.
So, are there things that are linked to obesity in youth, certain factors that can tie the
two together? >>Sarah Betts:
Sure, we've seen that. You know, of course sugary drinks are a culprit.
We've seen, you know, milk and water decrease, soda consumption increase over the last few
years. And that's definitely linked to, you know,
higher calorie intake, which, you know, kids don't realize because they're not eating food
that they don't realize that even drinking, you know, high-calorie drinks affects their
body. We've seen a decrease in physical activity
in kids. We want to see kids active about 60 minutes
a day, and we're not seeing most kids be active everyday for that 60 minutes.
And then, what we're eating. You know, we're eating a lot of high-sugar,
high-fat foods, processed foods, a lot less fresh fruits and vegetables, a lot less home
cooked meals, a lot more eating out. So, that's definitely a factor.
A lot more screen time. We're seeing the national average now for
kids, over 56 hours. And those that are really talented with, you
know, using two or three devices at a time, up to 72 hours a week.
So, that has definitely increased, along with the activity decreasing, definitely has caused
some issue. >>Lori Casey:
What about income level? Does that play a factor in obesity?
>>Sarah Betts: We have seen that.
You know, poverty is linked to obesity. I think it's, you know, lack of access to
fresh fruits and vegetables. A lot of times, you know, it's the myth that
cheaper foods, you know, are more accessible for families, not as healthy.
But you know, it's all, too, about just training those parents to watch for healthy foods when
they go on sale, stocking up on things when you can, and you know, maybe not going with
the quickest fix, quickest route. But making sure that you're looking for those
deals at the grocery store. And then, there are a lot of communities in
our area that don't have access to a grocery store.
Or if it is a grocery store, maybe it's small, and the prices are higher.
And then, there's the gas that it takes to get the store.
So, we do see higher obesity rates in some of those rural areas that don't have access
to a grocery store. >>Lori Casey:
So, it's not just urban areas that see it. It can be rural areas because of the things
you mentioned, just getting to a place where you have access to those healthy foods.
Are there, let's talk a little bit about the long term health effects if kids are overweight
at a younger age, what kinds of things can they see affect them as they get into adolescence
and adulthood? >>Sarah Betts:
Right. Well, we're seeing that, you know, as kids
get older that the obesity rate is going up. So, you know, the adult obesity rate is, in
Illinois alone is about 64%. So, we're going from one-third, you know,
to 64%; that's a huge jump. And so, it's important that we take action,
especially in kids. You know, we're seeing some progress in the
preschool age. Seeing some progress in that, you know, school
age is going to be very valuable because we're seeing those things linked to adulthood obesity,
chronic diseases, you know, like type II diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancers are linked
to those things. Becoming less, you know, physically fit, loss
of muscle mass, bone mass, those kinds of things, if we're not physically fit as kids.
>>Lori Casey: Okay.
You probably hear in your, in the line of work that you do, certain road blocks or challenges
for, let's start with families, to you know, eat healthy, you know.
What are some of those things that you hear? >>Sarah Betts:
Well, a lot of it is time. You know, I don't have time to make a meal,
I don't have time to go to the grocery. So, it's a lot faster to go through that drive-thru
on the way to soccer practice or a game or whatever it is.
And so that, you know, can be a challenge, especially if you are kind of locked into
that routine. And so, I think it's important to, you know,
take some time to research what you can do to make those choices a little bit easier
for your family. One thing that we do at our house is if we
have the grill out, we grill two or three different kinds of meat, and then through
the week all we have to do is throw vegetables with it.
Or if we're cooking ground beef, we make a big amount of that, and then we use it for
spaghetti, for tacos, and for other kinds of meals.
So, there's ways that you can make your meals quicker and still eat healthy.
You know, studies show that families that eat together on a regular basis, that the
kids are healthier. They make healthier choices, they're more
apt to try new things. And then, even later in life they make better
choices regarding alcohol and risky behaviors. So, it's so important to have that family
meal time. >>Lori Casey:
So, what about some of the challenges for families and kids to stay active and make
fitness a part of their lives? >>Sarah Betts:
Yes. Again, the busyness.
You know, just as we schedule other things in our calendar, make time for our priorities,
we need to make sure that we're making fitness a priority, and leading by example.
And so, even if it's writing on the calendar, you know, 10 minutes of exercise right before
supper, or after supper going on that family walk, you know.
And a lot of us think we have to pay or that things have to cost extra money.
If we don't have a lot of extra money, you know, to join a fitness club or to join a
kind of sport. But there's things you could do, you know,
just riding your bike, walking around your neighborhood.
We should not feel like we have to put a price on those kinds of things.
>>Lori Casey: That's what I was going to ask.
Let's talk about some ideas of some activities, physical activities that families can do together
that, like you said, doesn't involve purchasing a membership at a fitness club.
>>Sarah Betts: Right.
Well, we're so, you know, blessed in our area to have Fox Ridge, and then Douglas Hart Nature
Center, and those places that are free for kids to go and enjoy nature, get outside.
You know, it's just valuable to get outside, get some fresh air and sunshine.
And so, making sure that we make that a part of our activity time is important, as well.
Getting outside and throwing the ball around or frisbee around, you know.
We've seen that kids even are, you know, not as able to jump rope and do things that maybe
we did whenever we were kids. And so, you know, jump rope can cost a dollar,
you know, sidewalk chalk. Anything to get your kids outside, you know,
away from that screen time. And just thinking that, again, you don't have
to, those things don't have to cost. You can look for things in the community that
are free and take advantage of those things. >>Lori Casey:
We've got great parks in so many of our communities. We've got lots of great outdoor spaces here.
>>Sarah Betts: Yes, we really do.
And a lot of those I've noticed have been redone this year, so.
>>Lori Casey: So, as we're in summertime, kids are at home.
They don't have that structured phy-ed time that they had when they were in school.
So, what can, how can you work that back into their schedule?
I mean, you know, maybe it is 10 o'clock, time for phy-ed at home.
But they do, they go from this kind of structured activity to nothing.
>>Sarah Betts: Right.
And it is important and valuable for kids to have a little downtime, you know, in the
summer; that's important, as well. But making sure that there's still some household
rules about what we eat and, you know, staying active, TV time, those key factors that you
want to make sure. So, maybe they're, you know, in your cupboard
there's any time kind of snacks, you know, or out on the table, any time you can get
these grapes, or you know, fresh fruits, vegetables, those kinds of things.
But if you want something off of the other shelf, you need to ask first to make sure
that, you know, that you've had your fruits and vegetables for the day.
Or you know, if it's, two hours is our limit for screen time as a healthy amount for kids.
So, making sure after that two hours is up that your kids are doing other things.
Even things to exercise their brain, even puzzles or games.
>>Lori Casey: Reading.
>>Sarah Betts: Reading, yes, those kinds of things.
You know, a lot of our libraries in our area have great summer reading programs, and they're
free for kids. And so, taking advantage of those kinds of
things, adding those into their daily routine. Even if it's making up kind of a type of a
schedule where the kids know that, okay at 10 o'clock I've got the TV off, and I need
to be, you know, outside riding my bike or doing something else.
>>Lori Casey: You've touched on it, I want you to just review
for our viewers. How many minutes a day is recommended activity?
I mean, we know as adults, you know, they recommend, you know, X amount of minutes per
day, five days a week, six days a week. Seems to change a lot, but...
[laughter] What is the recommended time for kids?
>>Sara Betts: Sure, 60 minutes is what we want to see everyday.
Kids get active for 60 minutes. And that includes, you know, we want some
strength, you know, some kind of flexibility and making sure that they are doing some kind
of aerobic activity, get their heart pumping. You know, I tell kids even if it's playing
tag, it doesn't have to be going for a run. You know, they need to realize that playing
can be exercise and fine. >>Lori Casey:
Right, it's not as formal as what, you know, we do as adults.
Yeah, so 60 minutes a day. And screen time, what's the national recommendation
for screen time? >>Sarah Betts:
Two hours or less is what we want to see. So, it even helps to break that up over the
day, so that they kind of maybe see that as a reward later on in the day if they complete
the, you know, if they have some exercise in the day, then maybe they get 30 minutes,
and kind of work that as a reward. >>Lori Casey:
And when you're talking screen time, it's also mobile device, other device; it's not
just the television. >>Sarah Betts:
Right, that's right. >>Lori Casey:
We only had the TV when we were growing up. >>Sarah Betts:
Right. >>Lori Casey:
So, let's move into foods, because you can, as an adult we know you can exercise all you
want, but if your diet is terrible, it's kind of counterproductive.
So, what are some of the things that, healthy foods that you recommend families kind of
have in their pantry? >>Sarah Betts:
Well, I think, you know, the fresh fruits and vegetables are so important, and that
we've seen that decrease over the years for kids.
That most kids are not getting any, or one or two maybe, servings a day.
And so, what the goal is is five servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
And so, I think keeping those accessible. You know, on our counter we have a big bowl
of fresh fruits and vegetables that is any time kind of food.
So, if my kids are hungry, that's where they need to go to first.
And then, keeping some things maybe bagged up.
So, if you do have those games this summer where you are really busy, keeping some grapes,
carrots in a baggy so that you can just take those and go, that would be a great option,
as well. And then, if you are going to have snacky
type foods, maybe portioning those out separately. You know, as soon as you buy the bag of pretzels
or Cheez-Its or whatever it might be, putting those in a bag for the serving size, and helping
your kids do that with you so that they can see what the amount is.
And they might be surprised. You know, you can get a lot of Goldfish, you
know, for the portion size. And putting those in a baggy, rather than
just taking the whole bag whenever you're hungry.
>>Lori Casey: I think that's always surprising when you
actually look at the back of the package, and sometimes those packages are three servings,
not one. >>Sarah Betts:
Right, right. And helping our kids read the label is important,
because I know, you know, I think adults are finally starting to catch onto that, and seeing
that, okay you're right, it is three servings in it.
So, if I want, you know, the proper portion size, I just need one of those.
And helping your kids to do that, as well so that they can start recognizing healthy
foods, and recognizing how much is the proper portion.
That's important, too. >>Lori Casey:
Are you surprised when you're out, you know, working with kids, that they're not aware
of what healthy foods are or what serving sizes are?
Are you surprised that that's new information for them?
>>Sarah Betts: Well, I probably was at first; now it doesn't
really catch me off guard. But I love to watch them learn those things.
And when they turn the package over, and then their eyes get big, and they see, you know,
how much sugar is in this cereal; I had no idea.
You know, and I love then to show them some healthier options that taste just as good.
Because, they, you know, they tend to go home and share that with their family.
I had one mom say, you know, I went to the grocery, I couldn't find the cereal that you
had recommended because so many kids are buying that.
And so, we, you know, sometimes take for granted that our kids will try healthier foods.
You know, we don't realize that they really will.
We think, well this is the only thing that they're going to eat.
But if we give them some healthy options, I've found that kids really want to be healthy.
It makes them empowered, it makes them feel better about themselves to make healthy choices.
And so, if we give those options, even if all three choices we give them are healthy,
but they're still making that choice, it gives them some empowerment.
>>Lori Casey: And to develop those tastes for healthy foods
helps them later in life. >>Sarah Betts:
That's right. And you know, this year I got the opportunity
to work with some high school students, and you know, they drink a lot of sugary drinks,
eat a lot of sugary foods. And so, I shared with them that whenever you
take yourself off of that high sugar intake, that things start to taste sweeter to you.
So, maybe you didn't think fruits tasted sweet, but after you stop drinking so much soda,
and you stop eating all those sugary foods, then you start to realize the natural, you
know, sweeteners that are in foods that we eat everyday that maybe you didn't notice.
>>Lori Casey: It's right.
It's almost like that sugar dulls your senses for what really is sugary.
Because, I recently, I put sugar in my coffee everyday, and then I did some math, and that
was a lot of sugar. It was adding up.
It's hard, it's not as tasty, but... [laughter]
But yes, I mean, and there is something about, I think, that sugar makes you want more sugar.
I didn't believe that until I kind of cut some of that out.
>>Sarah Betts: You're right, you're right.
And so, if kids start their day out with sugary breakfast, then all day long they're going
to be craving more and more and more sugar. And you know, those refined grains.
And so, stocking your cupboards with whole grains is going to keep them a lot fuller.
So, if you're shopping for healthy cereal, you want to look for, you know, 10 grams or
less of sugar, at least three grams of fiber, and then that first ingredient whole grain.
So, a lot of times we're sending our kids off to school with nothing to keep them full.
And so, they're thinking about food, instead of thinking about math or spelling.
And so, setting them up for success is so important, especially for that school day.
And then, I tell them keep the sugary cereals, call those Saturday cereals.
You know, when you don't have to use your brain as much, then use the, you know, it's
okay to have those sugary cereals every now and then, or a Pop-Tart or something like
that, but keep those for the weekend. And make sure that through the week, when
you are needing to focus and pay attention, keep those low-sugar cereals for those days.
>>Lori Casey: So, are there some, in your house, you kind
of mentioned fruits and vegetables, are there some sort of like go-to foods or power foods
that you think, these are really good things to have that sort of cover a lot of bases
that you look for, and that you have in your house that you'd recommend?
>>Sarah Betts: Yes, absolutely.
We, you know, cheese sticks, especially the low-fat string cheese; those are easy to grab,
they're single servings, and we get to throw them in our lunch box a lot of times.
Because, we've also seen that calcium intake, you know, decrease, which is something you
can't fix as an adult. And so, we see, you know, kids, when they
stop growing, their bone mass then starts decreasing.
And so, making sure that we are giving them those servings of dairy everyday.
So, we do a lot of cheese sticks at our house. And then, we love yogurt parfaits.
So, you get three food groups, you know, in one.
You can throw some fruit in there, we love berries in ours, and then we usually have
vanilla yogurt, and then some granola on top. And so, you've got your grain, and your fruit,
and your dairy all in one. So, you know, my kids are super busy.
I have three kids, all involved in lots of activities.
And so, I've learned to try to figure out what kinds of things that we can take, grab
and go, that are healthy, throw in the ball bag, you know, some trail mix, things like
that, some kind of nuts or, you know, peanut butter, that will keep them a little bit fuller
longer is important. Because, you know, the son that's growing
seems to always be hungry. And so, I like to have things...
>>Lori Casey: I'm sure there's a lot of moms out there who
see the same thing. >>Sarah Betts:
But I try to make sure, especially for him, that I have things that will satisfy him between
games or on the way to a game, if we didn't have time for supper yet.
So, some of those kinds of things. And I also always have some healthy cereals
because he loves to have that for a snack. So, after school he can come home and have
some, you know, cereal, and that's going to keep him full until suppertime, as well.
>>Lori Casey: Do you find that boys are much more hungry
than girls? >>Sarah Betts:
Yeah, well mine is; I know that for sure. And he is one that, you know, is in go mode
until he goes to bed. And so, I think that has a lot to do with
it. How active a child is is also going to determine
how much energy they need to put in their body.
So, I have two girls, you know, as well. And I can see that with their activity level,
where that seems to make, you know, how hungry they are; it really affects that.
>>Lori Casey: Well, and I would think parents need to also,
when you're talking about food and kids' activity level, if they're in all these traveling sports
and all that, they need the right kind of fuel to be able to perform in those sports.
>>Sarah Betts: Right.
And talking to kids, finding what they are interested in.
You know, I have one daughter that loves to learn.
And so, all it took was her learning what soda was going to do to her body.
She doesn't ever drink it anymore. And then, you know, if I talk to my son about
sports. These are going to give you energy, they're
going to make you faster, they're going to make you stronger, they're going to make...
You know, compared to somebody who's eating a lot of fast food and unhealthy food, you're
going to have the edge because you are eating healthy, you're drinking healthy things.
So, finding what really makes them tick. And then, I have one that's just a pleaser.
Whatever I say, she's going to do, you know. >>Lori Casey:
Everyone wishes they had one like that. >>Sarah Betts:
Exactly. So, I think finding whatever motivates your
child, and using that to their advantage and talking their language is going to help them
to make those healthy choices. >>Lori Casey:
So, we've noticed, you know, in communities here in the Charleston/Mattoon area, and probably
communities all over the country, people getting together to really promote and help kids get
fit. Are you seeing that that's maybe part of why
we're seeing maybe a little bit of shift and change?
>>Sarah Betts: I do.
I think, you know, the message is out there now, that w'eve got to help our kids.
You know, we're seeing, you know, our department at Sarah Bush Lincoln was created because
we saw that most of our patients were there for preventable diseases.
We don't want to see our kids go down that same path.
And so, I've seen lots of agencies, lots of folks in the community get on board with that
message. And they are creating their own programs,
and they're making sure that they have opportunities for kids that aren't expensive for them to
be able to do over the summer. You know, there's lots of, if your child likes
to run or walk, there's lots of the 5K's and one-mile fun runs that they can be involved
in all over the, you know, all throughout the summer.
There's, you know, programs through the Charleston Rec Department, the YMCA; everybody's really
getting on board. And it's really exciting to see that.
And everybody's always ready to come to the table and say what can we do, you know, how
can we work together. >>Lori Casey:
So, it's a good thing that we finally, you know, see a problem, trying to do something
about it to help our kids. >>Sarah Betts:
Absolutely. >>Lori Casey:
Well Sarah, thanks so much for coming back to Being Well.
I told her she was actually part of our first season, which was a couple years ago.
So, it's great to have you back on the show again.
>>Sarah Betts: Thank you so much.
>>Lori Casey: Thanks.
[music plays] >>Ke'an Armstrong:
Sunshine and soda, garnished with a lime. Two delights of summer.
but for some people that delicious combo can cause a reaction on your skin you might mistake
for bruises or poison ivy. It's called a phototoxic reaction, and it
happens when you touch certain plants, and are then exposed to sunlight.
Vivien Williams has the story from Mayo Clinic. >>Ali Berends:
I just have always grown up around water, and I love to swim.
>>Vivian Williams But last year during spring break, life guard
Allie Berends developed a strange long, red mark on her leg after a dip in the ocean.
>>Ali Berends: But then, ti started to get really red and
blistered. >>Vivien Williams:
She thought maybe it was a jellyfish sting. Mayo Clinic Doctor Dawn Davis told Allie yes,
it was a sting, but from a plant and the sun, not a jellyfish.
>>Ali Berends: So, I was kind of disappointed, because jellyfish
sounds cooler. >>Dr. Dawn Davis:
There are certain plants and fruits in nature, such as dill, buttercup, bergamot, musk ambrette,
parsley, parsnip, and citrus fruits, especially lime, that when these chemicals that they
contain hit your skin, and then it's exposed to ultraviolet light, a chemical reaction
occurs. And you can either develop a dermatitis, which
is called phytophotodermatitis, plant-light induced eczema, or you can develop a phototoxic
dermatitis, meaning plant sunburn dermatitis. >>Viven Williams:
Typical scenarios would be when you brush up against certain plants on a hike, or when
you squeeze a lime into a drink, maybe you get some juice on your hands, you touch your
arm. And when the sun hits that spot, the dermatitis
appears in the form of handprints or drips. >>Dr. Dawn Davis:
A lot of people think that it's poison ivy with the lines and the streaks, but it's indeed
not. It's a phytophotodermatitis.
>>Vivien Williams: Treatment includes topical ointment and staying
out of the sun. >>Ali Berends
It's right here on my leg. >>Vivien Williams:
Allie says her reaction was a bit painful, but over time, it's fading away.
For Medical Edge, I'm Vivien Williams. >>Lori Casey:
Production of Being Well is made possible in part by.
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System supporting healthy lifestyles eating a heart healthy
diet, staying active, managing stress and regular check ups are ways of reducing your
health risks. Proper health is important to all at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System. Information
available at Sarah Bush.org. Additional funding by Jazzercise
of Charleston. [music plays]