Growing Up

by: Andrea J. Stewart

18- to 30-year-olds have reached adulthood, and with that comes the responsibility of looking out for future generations.

“People in this generation will start having kids soon, and they have to teach kids to be healthy,” said Christi Lehner-Collins, a certified holistic health counselor in Andover, Mass.  Of course, it’s hard to teach children to live healthy when parents aren’t leading by example.  A 2004 study by Wilson, Musham and McLellan explains that observing family mealtimes has a significant impact on children’s eating habits when they reach adulthood. 

Parents can’t count on their children’s schools to get them off to a healthy start, said personal trainer Judith Bruen.  Bruen pointed out that many schools are getting rid of physical education classes, or at least cutting down on their frequency.  Although some schools are reconfiguring their lunch menus to allow for more healthful alternatives, Bruen said that overall, schools don’t provide the best choices for children.

“They’re fed crap at school.  And then by the time they hit 18, that becomes normal,” she said.

The responsibility lies in the home, and 18- to 30-year-olds will have to make some serious changes to avoid raising the next obese generation.

Art by: Andrea J. Stewart