September is known as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and Dallas County Health Educator Natalie Peters zeroes in on preventative measures that can be taken.

Peters explains that obesity is connected to many health issues, including low self-esteem, depression, and poor school performance. She illustrates that obesity can be carried from childhood into adulthood, which is linked to long-term health risks of diabetes, heart disease, plus a variety of cancers. 

Peters outlines that children normally look up to adults, especially family members, and details that those individuals can set great role models of living active lifestyles. She says that parents/guardians can have healthy foods throughout the household, modeling living a healthy life, and planning fun activities that involve fitness. Peters shares that people should study the “5-2-1-0 Rule.”

“That would be eating five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. Two is to limit recreational screen time to two hours or less per day. One is to at least get one hour of physical activity everyday, and then zero is to consume zero sugary drinks, and choose water instead.”

Peters encourages anyone who has questions regarding additional health measures to contact the Dallas County Health Department at (515)-993-3750.