By Karen Higman

How many times have you heard the phrase, "You are what you eat." That old adage needs to be modified to say "You are what you eat AND how much you exercise." As adults, we realize that both nutrition and physical activity are important for our own good health, but we may not understand as parents how critical this combination is for the wellness of our children. Much has been written over the last few years about the increase in the rates of overweight kids and childhood obesity. However, your child does not have to be overweight for you to take an active interest in what they are eating and how much exercise they are getting on a regular basis. These are still both important aspects of your child's overall well being. Since all parents want their children to be healthy, the real question is, how can you specifically help your child to build a strong body which in turn will create a strong mind?

The Role of Exercise & Nutrition
The role of physical activity in the general health of any child cannot be underestimated. There is clear evidence that regular physical activity not only keeps a child's body in better condition, but it also enhances learning and positively affects school achievement. It has long been known that physical activity strengthens the heart, lungs and muscles, but research now shows that similar improvements occur in the brain. When children exercise, their brains are fueled with oxygen, which enhances the connections between neutrons and maximizes the memory and the ability to learn. According to research published in the journal "Pediatric Exercise Science" there is a correlation between actual standardized test scores and the results of the "Fitness Gram" which is administered to children in their school gym classes. Students with the highest fitness scores also had the highest test scores. The same connection exists between good nutrition and academic achievement.

A major study of the American School Food Service Association concluded that among fourth grade students, those having the lowest amount of protein in their diet also had the lowest achievement scores on the English Language Arts (ELA) tests. Laura Fasano, Director of Program Development for the YMCA of Greater Rochester, confirms that she sees the same association between nutrition, exercise and children's ability to focus in the YMCA's after-school programs. "The YMCA has about 1,500 children daily enrolled in after-school programming," said Fasano. "It is clear to us that giving kids at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise and feeding them nutrient-dense snacks with whole grains has a big effect on their attention span and energy level." Fasano also stresses the importance of encouraging children to drink water-especially when they come home from school-since there are few opportunities for hydration during the day, which can also lead to sluggish behavior and reaction time.

Sarah Jane Clifford, President of the Gymnastics Training Center in Penfield, also sees the strong correlation between high levels of physical activity and a keen mind. "One example is a local 15-year-old boy who could not read or write, but as he learned to sequence a gymnastics routine he developed an ability to memorize. His teacher came to watch him and was amazed by his progress. She capitalized on his gymnastics work and he learned to read and write."

Tips for Parents
As parents, what can we do to strengthen the bodies and minds of our children to improve their physical and mental well being resulting in better academic achievement? The first step is to be aware of these connections and to increase your child's level of physical activity, as well as improving the nutritional content of the food that you offer. For an easy to use resource guide on improving your child's nutrition that is simple to incorporate into your busy life, pick up the "Snack with the Power of 3s" brochure at your local Wegmans. This hands-on "cheat sheet" was spearheaded by Wegmans nutritionists Jane Andrews MS, RD and Trish Kazacos RD, CPT and the YMCA of Greater Rochester. "Snack with the Power of 3s" (which is also available on the Wegmans website) gives parents accurate nutritional information such as how many daily servings of whole grain foods kids really need, and suggestions for actual foods and brands that parent can buy at the store. And remember to reenergize children without overloading them by going no more than three hours between meals and snacks.

It's not just your imagination; kids don't get as much physical activity as they used to. Some of this is a societal change due to increased screen time (TV and computer) and a lack of walking to school, friends' houses or other common childhood destinations. Parents can change that by finding other ways to put movement back in their child's day. Do you have a lack of space at your house or apartment? Don't worry, one of the most effective and easiest things you and your child can do is jump rope! It's fun, inexpensive and can be done almost anywhere! Try a family walk around the block after dinner or even mall walking as an alternative during the snowy Rochester winter. Ythan Lax, owner of The Little Gym of Perinton-Pittsford and The Little Gym of Greece, says that concentrating on motor skill development is the focus of his business, and parents flock to The Little Gym every week to give their infants and children ages 4 months to 12 years old a "total child development experience." "The Little Gym is successful because we make it fun for the kids while the parents can see through the structured class format that their children are developing physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively" noted Lax.

Brain Power
Eric Jensen, an educator and expert on "brain based learning" has written a new book entitled, "Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner's Potential" (published in February 2008 by Jossey-Bass Inc.). In the book, Jensen says that children have a much greater ability than previously thought to learn and achieve better academic results. Jensen claims that brain enrichment does not happen by accident or through ordinary learning, but requires a "specific formula" that can be practiced by any student.

"The bottom line is, we (parents) have far more to do with how our children's brains turn out than we previously thought." The author gives parents and teachers real tools to help children reach their full potential and he calls on both groups to take their roles as "brain shapers" seriously. Jensen states that the correlation between strong minds and strong bodies is very clear and that it is important for parents to get their kids physically active since children are increasingly getting less exercise in school.

Parents have a very big influence on what foods are offered to their children and what activities they are involved in, especially when children are very young. Be thoughtful about these responsibilities and your kids will benefit greatly both now and in the future.

Karen Higman is Sr. Vice President of YMCA of Greater Rochester