Fit Family: 6 Simple Ways to Keep Your Child Healthy

by Esther Animalu, contributing reporter

Between 16 and 33 percent of children, as well as adolescents, are obese. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but the most difficult to treat. Unhealthy weight gain due to a poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year, according to AACAP.org. In order to help your child stay in shape and prevent them from becoming another statistic, Marci Clow, MS, RDN of Rainbow Light:, and a respected advocate for childhood nutrition, suggests these six easy tips Fuss Ways to Keep Your Child Healthy:

1. Start the day off right

It’s more than a cliché – breakfast is the most important meal of the day so make sure to give your child a healthy start with a wholesome breakfast that includes protein

2. Food for thought

Help support your child’s brain growth and development by making sure they get their omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in foods like eggs, flax seeds, or even in an omega-3 supplement. One to try: Rainbow Light’s Gummy Omegalicious®

3. Fill the Gaps

While parents do their best to make sure their child receives their vitamin intake through food, sometimes a supplement is necessary. By filling potential nutrient gaps with a multivitamin, parents can rest easy knowing their child is getting all the vitamins and minerals they need for optimal growth, as well as for healthy cognitive and physical development.

4. Pile on the fiber

Be sure kids get plenty of fiber from multiple sources including fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

5. Start a routine

Creating a scheduled back to school routine will help kids perform better

6. Establish A Bedtime

This is the only one that may cause a fuss in the beginning, but it is important to set strict bedtimes because school-age children need 10 hours of sleep per night to strengthen their immunity and overall health so they can perform their best in school.