Thank you for the editorial Give kids the gift of health (Opinion April 11).
As a nurse that works in a chronic disease clinic in Victoria and a mother of two children aged 11 and 14, I am always thinking about the balance between food, exercise and the era of electronics.
Every day I work with people that have been diagnosed with chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. These conditions could lead to further health problems such as reduced kidney function and in some cases end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplant. The incidence of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease is on the rise. The good news is that in a lot of cases it can be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle. This includes physical activity and a healthy diet.
As a mother and a nurse, I feel it is my job to teach my children the skills they will need to live happy healthy lives as adults.
To me, this starts with setting a good example. Our entire family participates in exercise on a regular basis, together during weekend activities and separately during independent activities or sports teams.
I do my best to make sure fruits and vegetables are a part of every meal and I spend a fair bit of time doing meal preparation to make sure these foods are available. In addition to that I do feel like I am in a constant state of awareness on how much time the kids spend on their ‘down time activities’ such as games and texting in phones etc. as well as trying to teach them moderation with treats and snacks.
Sometimes I find this to be quite an exhausting endeavor to keep up with but I know I have to do it for the future health of my children, after all I am aware of the alternative.
Darlene Michl
Victoria nurse clinician