HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-10-04, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2000.
Fighting rise in obesity among children
Almost one in four Canadian
children aged seven to 12 is obese,
according to the Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada. Obesity has
been called an “epidemic” in
Canada, and it’s a known risk factor
for heart disease and stroke.
“Poor eating habits adopted early
in life can lead to children
developing risk factors for heart
disease, including obesity, high
blood pressure and high blood
cholesterol,” said Liz Pearson,
Dealing with asthma
This fall, more than 150,000
Canadian children with asthma
returned to school ready to renew
friendships, develop learning skills
and enjoy new experiences.
Unfortunately, many of these
children will not make it to school
every day.
Asthma is the leading cause of
absenteeism from school, with 20
per cent of missed school days due
to this chronic disease.
In a class of 30 there will be, on
average, five to six students with
asthma. It is important to ensure that
all parents, teachers and school staff
are aware of the early signs of
asthma and how to help students
manage their attacks at school.
Recognizing Asthma
The Asthma Society of Canada
wants teachers, staff and classmates
to recognize early asthma symptoms
such as persistent coughing,
wheezing, shortness of breath
especially with exertion, and
tightness in the chest. Signs that a
child may be having an asthma
attack include:
• Making high-pitched whistling
sounds (wheezing) when exhaling;
dietitian and spokesperson for the “5
to 10 a day” campaign. “Studies
have shown that even young
children can develop early signs of
heart disease when risk factors are
present.”
“5 to 10 a day” is a joint campaign
of the Canadian Cancer Society,
the Canadian Produce Market
ing Association, and the Heart
and Stroke Foundation of Canada,
designed to encourage Canadians
to consumer five to ten servings
• Using large muscles in the neck
when breathing (pulling the chin
into chest when inhaling);
• Difficulty exhaling because the
airways are blocked; or,
• Breathing rapidly because of
shortness of breath or having
trouble putting words together.
“Many students may not even be
aware that their chest tightness and
shortness of breath are abnormal,”
said Jo-Anne Harper Sobie,
executive director, Asthma Society
of Canada. ‘'Teachers and parents
can help doctors by observing
students who have recurrent
coughing or wheezing or are
unusually unwilling to participate in
vigorous exercise.”
Controlling Asthma at School
Parents should meet with teachers
and staff to discuss their child’s
asthma and develop adequate
documentation and plan of
treatment. Parents must also be
aware of the importance of having
their child’s medication available at
school, even if the asthma appears to
be mild at home.
Teachers should also be shown
how to use or administer a student’s
of vegetables and fruit each day
as part of a balanced diet. Re
search has shown that eating
vegetables and fruit can help reduce
the risk of cancer and cardiovascular
disease.
It's important to encourage
children to adopt lifelong healthy
eating habits to help reduce their risk
of cancer, heart disease and stroke -
but what’s a parent to do in the face
of overwhelming advertising and
marketing of convenience and fast
at school
medication or inhaler properly.
Exercise -is very important for
everyone and may help reduce
asthma symptoms. Students with
well-controlled asthma should rarely
have any problems participating in
physical activities. If a student
regularly has difficulty participating
in physical activity, it may be a sign
that their asthma is not being
controlled properly.
An asthma attack can be a
frightening experience and it is
natural for students to show
frustration and anger. A child
suffering from an asthma attack is
best helped by parents and teachers
who are calm, quietly supportive,
and know how to treat asthma.
With regular check ups and
medication, students with asthma are
able to enjoy normal school
activities and control their asthma.
For more information on asthma
consult your physician, or contact
the Asthma Society of Canada toll
free at 1-8OO-787-388O or visit their
website at www.asthma.ca
Asthma Triggers at School
Triggers are things that can make
Continued on page 21
foods? “There are lots of things you
can do to make sure your kids' lunch
boxes is healthy but fun,” said
Pearson.
Tips on how to include vegetables
and fruit into nutritious snacks and
meals for children are posted on the
campaign’s . web site, www.
50tol0aday.com Lots of other great
information - like the “5 to 10 a
day” challenge, a quiz to see if
you’re getting enough” - is included
on the site.
Here are some tips to make school
lunches healthy and fun:
• When packing lunches, start with
foods your child will eat, then think
of different ways to pack those
foods.
• Involve your kids - have a
“lunch summit” or meeting to plan a
week’s worth of lunches, use food
guide for planning.
• When you go shopping have
your kids pick out a new fruit to
have in their, lunch to try each week.
• Try to incorporate at least three
of the four food groups (get kids
involved in the process).
• Use a thermal bag to help
insulate your lunch, use a thermos to
keep foods warm (soup, chili) or
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