Important benefits of healthy living in youth
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EmailGetting youth involved in healthy living programming is critical to their development.
Healthy living is an essential component to living and breathing. Making good decisions on what you eat, drink, how often you exercise and whether you wear your seatbelt when you drive ultimately affects your healthy living bubble. Are you being conscience of the decisions you are making, and what impact does it have on your health?
Healthy living is a very broad category, and there are a ton of things that fall under it. It is important that youth understand what healthy living is all about so that they get into a habit of making sound decisions when it comes to choices surrounding healthy living.
Michigan State University Extension’s Healthy Youth programs are a way to get the word out to youth, adults and volunteers. The work that is being done to educate youth on the importance of healthy eating, being physically active and getting proper rest is growing around the state.
The following are some health-related facts for adolescences aged 9-11 that go until age 14 or 15:
- They become increasingly responsible and develop decision-making skills.
- They increase positive feeling about their changing bodies.
- They become more independent.
- They begin to plan and think about the future.
- They increase positive feeling about who they are.
When you see these facts, getting youth involved in healthy living programming is very critical to their development. Youth will form lifelong opinions and habits at these ages. Encourage youth to get involved in healthy living programs wherever they are. If you need some help in planning or want to request programming for your county, contact me at 517-432-7618 or sadlerbo@msu.edu.
MSU Extension supports healthy living programs that helps encourage youth to make healthy lifelong decisions that may affect their nutrition choices, fitness goals and overall well-being.
