Middle Childhood: Physical Health

Introduction

• Overall health is strong and robust at this age
• Percentage of obesity increases at this age compared to early childhood
  • In school-age children may have increased autonomy over food choices , and prefer sweet or fast foods
  • More screen time, insufficient physical activity
  • Genetic variables Has long-term health and psychosocial consequences
• Has long-term health and psychosocial consequences
  • Diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular
  • Peers, bullying
  • Children vulnerable to messages
• Some improvement in social policies on healthy eating

Health & Nutrition

1. Focus on maintaining healthy eating and wellness

   1. Need calories for growth , energy

2. Balance in messages of healthy eating

   1. Diet culture pervasive at younger ages, especially as media expands
   2. Themes of acceptance

3. More time needed for school-age children in physical activity, outdoors

Chronic Illness

• Chronic illnesses are on the rise
• Asthma: a chronic lung disease that involves episodes of airflow obstruction.
• Most common childhood chronic disease.
• Incidence has steadily increased over the years.
  • Exact causes are unknown, but it is believed that it results from a hypersensitivity to environmental substances that triggers an allergic reaction.
• Treated with inhalers and medications.
• Physical activity is a possible protective factor against asthma development.
• Often monitored in school

Sleep

• Sleep improves for most children and then declines again as older, adolescents
• CDC recommends 9-12 hours of sleep
• Both lack of sleep and poor sleep quality have negative consequences for children.
• Somatic complaints, poorer school performance, mood disorders, motor skills problems, behavior problems
• In one study, a pattern of sleep problems over a 4- year period from preschool to school age was associated with a 16-fold increase in the risk of psychosocial symptoms, problems with social interactions, and anxious/depressed mood.
• Nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) may still occur. Important to look at underlying causes

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