Dear Mr. Ferrara,
Back-to-school season is upon us.
Cue the cheers from parents and sighs from students.
Heading back to school is a great opportunity to re-examine family health. It's with that in mind that I'm passing on a few helpful back-to-school health hints from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Bus safety: It's important to teach children to walk where they can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see them, too)
- Healthy breakfast: Studies show that children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school and have better concentration and more energy.
- Avoiding soda: Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%.
- Good night's sleep: A good sleep routine is critical. Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most adolescents is in the range of 8.5 to 9.5 hours per night.
Happy Back-to-School!
All the best,
Francisco