What Kids Do Between School & Sleep Shapes Their Health

Is there time to exercise before homework?

What children do between the hours after school and their bedtime may have a lot to do with why one in three of them in America are overweight, according to a new poll by NPR. Being asked to describe their "crunch times," more than 800 parents and caregivers responded, and though more than 9 in 10 said it was important that their child maintain a healthy weight, it wasn't as easy to implement as they too admitted that more than a quarter of children did not get enough exercise. Nearly half said it's difficult to make sure their child eats healthy, as well as that it's a challenge for families to eat together on a daily basis. About a third of children who eat at home with their families end up relying on pre-packaged, frozen or take-out food. Additionally, parents who said it's difficult to prepare fresh foods, claimed money was also a factor. Many point to schools, for partial blame, where their kids are eating dense, high-fat and over-processed food for lunch and being rewarded with candy. (NPR)

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