It seems like every day we get a new message through the media about the need for exercise and a healthy diet. In the last 20 years, the percentage of children who are overweight has doubled and the percentage of adolescents who are obese has tripled. (1) The rate of obesity is clearly rising.

You may ask, “Why should we care?” or “What can I do about it?” Many of today’s children and youth have unhealthy eating patterns. Children are also less active due to the increasing use of television, video, DVD, computers and hand-held video games. As adults we are also less active, driving more and walking less. There are many reasons we should care, the most important being your health!

Obesity is a significant health threat that can have serious psychological and emotional implications. It raises the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, once thought to mainly affect adults, are now often seen in obese children. ⁽¹⁾ The cost of health care is rising and it is estimated that in the U.S., the annual cost of being overweight or obese runs in the billions of dollars. ⁽²⁾ Most people strive for a good quality of life, but when one is in poor health, that quality can be diminished greatly. People who are obese are also at risk of being subjected to discrimination at all ages, and are more likely to suffer from low self esteem. The resulting depression and social isolation can lead to poor academic success and may impact the productivity of ones life.

Being overweight or not physically fit can also impact a person with a bleeding disorder. It is important for people with hemophilia to maintain good health. This means exercise and a healthy diet. It’s especially important to prevent the complications associated with joint disease, a common problem in those with hemophilia. Extra weight can place more pressure on the joints, resulting in an increased incidence of bleeds. But physical therapy and exercise can improve and maintain muscle strength and flexibility. Strong muscles protect and cushion the joints, resulting in fewer joint bleeds.

You may ask, “Where do I begin?” As parents, think how your diet and habits affect you and your children. When you decide to make a change for a healthy, more active lifestyle, have a family meeting to discuss and plan. Decide on one or two changes to begin this new adventure. Almost every article or television show that discusses weight loss and exercise suggests finding a “buddy” who can help you be accountable. The same holds true in making the change as a family. You can help each other, but it’s also nice to have others who are close to you involved and supportive. Find a support system, let a close friend or extended family know what you are trying to accomplish, so that they can support you in your efforts through support or by participating with you.

Healthy Eating Behaviors

Parents sometimes don’t realize how much of an impact they have on their children. Young children share many eating behaviors with their parents, and so parents have a big influence on what their children eat. By doing more as parents, setting an example in eating habits, and having a positive attitude, children are more likely to follow. Healthy eating patterns during childhood affect eating patterns in later years.

Plan the week’s meals by purchasing all you need at once when you grocery shop. The idea of planning an entire week’s menu may seem overwhelming, particularly if you have never done it, but by having a list of groceries you need for the week’s meals you are less likely to waste what you buy. Once you get in the habit, it then becomes easier and can also save you money. The Food Channel on cable television is a great resource for quick, easy, nutritious meals and you can access the recipes through their web site. Some people also find it easier to take a little extra time on the weekend and prepare meals for the entire week as it saves time later. If children are old enough, let them help plan a meal and prepare it with your supervision; this adds to family time and provides them with an opportunity to accomplish a task. Research has shown that families tend to eat healthier when they dine together regularly. Families who eat dinner together have been shown to eat more vegetables and fruits than those who rarely or never dine together; they also eat less fried food and soda. ⁽³⁾ Sitting down as a family for a meal can provide the opportunity to communicate and find out what’s going on in your children’s lives. Once a child becomes a teenager they need a little more attention as life experiences become more meaningful and they face different challenges. Researchers have found improved school and psychological performance in teens that eat dinner with their families, as well as fewer risky teen behaviors. ⁽³⁾

Planning meals ahead helps you:

• Have healthy food on hand
• Make fewer trips to the grocery store
• Eat fewer high-calorie, take-out meals
• Increase the variety of foods you eat each week

Doing things together starts healthy habits:

• Go for a walk before or after dinner
• Hiking or walking on the beach
• Make a game out of household chores
• Walk or run for charity, in the neighborhood or park
• Work in the yard
• Walk the dog
• Bike riding (Don’t forget your helmets)
• Playing ball, badminton, or croquet in the backyard
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park further away from the entrance of a building

1. Effects of Obesity-Right Health Topic Page: http://www.righthealth.com
2. Economic Impact on Obesity: http://www.obesityinamerica.org
3. Eat as a Family, Lose Weight: http://www.webmd.com

Parents Empowering Parents

            Going into the PEP conference, I did not know what to expect. The most important thing to me was to meet other parents who were experiencing the same things in life that my husband, Chris, and I were going through, or expect to experience in the future. We have two sons, Teigan who is 3 and has Severe Hemophilia B, and Raleigh who is 3 months and whom the doctors think has it as well according to preliminary testing done when he was born.  We have never experienced a bleeding disorder in our family before, so this conference was especially beneficial to us. You can discuss your issues about a child with a bleeding disorder to friends, but they will never fully understand your feelings. The parents that we met at this conference were able to understand our feelings on a different level. I felt like we were able to make a deeper connection with some, more than we do with our everyday friends. We share the same feelings and frustrations.

We set goals at the beginning of the conference of what we wanted to take away from it at the end of the weekend. I personally think we came away with more than we had ever expected. Some of the key points of the weekend were the 3 Golden Rules, which you can apply to all aspects of your life. Another key point was the 4:1 Rule & learning to speak positive to your child:  for every 1 negative thing you say, you have to come back with 4 positive things and that can grow tiring if you say a lot of negative things. We covered compassionate discipline and also how to communicate with your child. Communication is the key! We wrote down the characteristics that we wanted to see in our child and then carried over into adulthood. We learned that we can help mold our children by our style of parenting. We were able to classify where our parenting style is right now and decide what things we were going to keep doing or what we needed to change in the future to help better ourselves and our children.

Cathy Baggett, the program services coordinator for the Tennessee Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorders Foundation, along with the other PEP leaders, challenged us to pick out one thing during the course of the weekend that really hit home for us and apply it and practice it at home, and see how it works for us. It was so helpful to hear other parents’ points of views and how they have handled dealing with a child with a bleeding disorder. Cathy used the analogy of a ball of yarn and if you held onto a piece and passed it around the room and everyone held onto the string how you would be connected. In that very same way when we came together at the PEP conference, we too have now become connected to each other’s lives. We can call each other and share our struggles or thoughts about what is working best for us at that point in time.

If you haven’t ever been to a PEP conference, I would strongly suggest that you sign up for the next one available to you in your area. You will be able to understand your child’s bleeding disorder better and learn how to communicate better with him or her. This conference will also help you to better understand and communicate with another child in the family who does not have a bleeding disorder. I have come away from the PEP conference with a new perspective on my parenting. I have also found new friends and a support system. PEP has definitely made a difference in my husband’s and my life. We have already noticed a change in our parenting style and our son’s behavior. We speak and listen differently. I want to thank everyone that was there for sharing this experience with us and to the ones that put it on as well, thank you for caring and making this conference possible.

Sincerely,

Shannon Cassada