Can reading help tweens lose weight?
A study was done in Duke University.
The study had overweight girls, ages 9 to 13 to read a novel called Lake Rescue. This book was written to promote healthy lifestyle, deal with overweight issues and provide positive messages. Six months later, the 31 girls who read the novel had a significant decrease in their BMI scores (-.71%) when compared to a control group of 14 girls who hadn’t (+.05%),.
To find out what your child’s BMI score is, click here.
Now granted it was a small sample size but never the less, I think the over riding messages are clear.
We have to find creative ways to promote healthy living.
We have to look for different ways for children to learn about the importance of healthy living in a way that is meaningful to them.
- reading about kids who are making healthy lifestyle changes
- playing nutrition oriented video games
- watching cartoons that provide positive healthy messages
- nutrition oriented or healthy lifestyle toys
- involving children in the meal planning and cooking
These are just some creative, fun ways that parents can use other venues to promote healthier lifestyle choices.
What we don’t want to do is single out an overweight child, nag about their food choices or scold them. Instead we need to focus on positive messages and using games, books and other activities as a way to support the message, “healthy living is necessary and it’s fun”
If you have a great idea or technique that has worked with your child, please share it. It is by all of us working together that we will begin to make a difference!
October 6th, 2008 at 7:55 am
[...] Nourishing Thoughts wrote an interesting post today about kids and reading- kids who are making healthy lifestyle changes; playing nutrition oriented video games; watching cartoons that provide positive healthy messages; nutrition oriented or healthy lifestyle toys; involving children in the meal planning and cooking; [...]
October 6th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Yes, i agree with you now a days most of the girls want to loose their overweight in that way they are following many diet tips,books etc… to get a slim and healthy lifestyle.
October 17th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I absolutely love this blog. I’m doing my morning weight loss blog reading and found your blog.
I don’t think I’ve been here before, but I’ll be back. Cool blog and thanks for the info.
Kenney
December 9th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Long term solutions often work better, but they often take a long time to show results and require a long term commitment.
January 11th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Ihanks for sharing this interesting girls nutrition study, book, and ideas for tweens. I really feel that all these ideas are good ones and it makes sense that they will have a positive impact on girls health. Either young girls are not eating enough healthy food or struggle with being overweight and today’s girls have too many issue to deal with body image and self esteem. I think we also need role models and celebrities to stand up and help to teen girls weight issues,body image and self esteem
January 27th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Reading books or seeing celebrities from sports or movies making healthy choices would help kids tothink about what they eat.
Nice blog!
January 29th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Was searching all over iternet for weight lose tips and got very useful info here
March 14th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
right, we need to find new ways to teach kids how to take care of themselves,to eat right- exercise.
teens love to text so using texting to help them is great way. I’m looking for other ways that might be appealing to teens, ideas?
August 30th, 2010 at 1:25 am
Purchase mp3 music online…
Such a good article, caught my sympathy!…