Eye on Health: Teen Choices - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Eye on Health: Teen Choices

A healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and plenty of exercise is recommended for all of us.  
But we know that obesity rates are climbing for children.
That's the YMCA and Trinity Health are putting on a summer program for teens.  
Carla Burbidge has this week's Eye on Health. 

Lifting, jumping, pulling ...exercises that get the heart working.  
It's all part of the Teen Lifestyle Choices camp held at the YMCA this summer.  
A couple days a week, young people come here free of charge to learn how to improve their lifestyle.  
(Dr. Ann Cadwalader, Pediatrician) "Studies are pretty convincing, that if adolescents are overweight, that chances are that carries over to adulthood, its a good time to make changes."
The idea of the camp is to offer fitness as well as nutritional information  in one package.  
Besides getting the kids moving, several professionals are on hand to offer advice about making choices.  
(Dr. Ann Cadwalader, Pediatrician) "Exercise is important, but really it is about what you put in your body, you need good dietary choices."
And of course, physical health and mental health go hand in hand.  
Studies show that exercise cam improve your mind.
Professionals talk to the young people about dealing with the stress and issues of todays world, and developing skills they can use the rest of their lives.
(Dionne Spooner, Social Worker) "The brain is not fully developed until 25, they need to control what they can control, like eating, activity and friends."
This camp could be just the first of its kind.   
It is hoped there will be more such camps, maybe event involving parents and adolescents together.  
This first camp filled up quickly so they know there is healthy interest in better health.  
For Eye on Health I'm Carla Burbidge