American School Kids Shows Strong Link Between Teenage Health Habits & Self-Esteem.

“Eat your vegetables,” “floss your teeth” and “go to bed” are phrases used daily by moms and dads everywhere. Yet, according to a questionnaire given to more than 7,600 school-age children across the United States, kids consume the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommended daily number of servings of vegetables less than 50 percent of the time. Twenty-five percent do not floss their teeth at all, and one- third of the students polled sleep less than 8 hours a day, setting themselves up for health and image problems as they age.

Commissioned by CIGNA Corporation, the Be Healthy … Be Fit(SM) survey of students between 9 and 16 years of age revealed that adequate amounts of exercise remains a problem. Only one in four students claim they get adequate exercise, and the majority of students exercise three days a week, far below the one-hour per day recommended for children and teens in the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2000). Instead, kids are spending more time than ever before playing video games and watching television. Thirty percent of students’ free time is taken up with these sedentary activities, an increase of 5 percent over last year.

“There appears to be a clear link between a student’s self-image and a healthy lifestyle. Students who eat well tend to be concerned about safety, have a positive self-image, exercise more frequently and express their anger with words rather than resorting to actions,” said Jodi Aronson Prohofsky, vice president at CIGNA Behavioral Health. “Similarly, unhealthy attitudes are also connected. Students who have problems releasing their anger are often those who watch the most television and play the most video games, highlighting how non-physical activities are less effective at alleviating stress.”

“On too many fronts, we seem to be fighting a losing battle to encourage teenagers to adopt healthy habits,” said Dr. Allen Woolf, leader of the CIGNA HealthCare Well Aware Program for Better Health(R), a program that supports CIGNA HealthCare members in managing their chronic diseases. “Nearly 13 percent of children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17 are overweight, and studies show that habits formed as a youth can determine how healthy we are as adults. Diabetes, heart disease and cancer are on the rise among those 25 years of age and older, caused in part by poor nutrition and a lack of regular exercise.

“This is a critical national health care issue,” said Woolf. “We simply must gain a greater understanding of the health behaviors of youth, so that parents, educators and health care providers can work together to help teens adopt better health habits and become healthier adults.”

Conducted each fall, CIGNA’s Be Healthy … Be Fit survey measures the health and fitness behavior of students nationwide, by age group, gender and geographic location. Information was gathered from students in Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa and Washington, D.C. The questionnaire, which also focused on students’ social challenges and coping strategies, revealed:

* Nearly one-third of all teenagers were on a diet at some point last year and 25 percent of teen girls view themselves as overweight.

* Young women who described themselves as “overweight” were less likely to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and spent more time watching television.

* One-third of teenage boys surveyed do not have anyone to talk with when angry. Students who have no one to talk with are more apt to repress their anger or express it through actions rather than words.

* Students identified with anger issues were are also less likely to engage in regular exercise, get enough sleep and have healthy eating habits.