Today it seems as though we're sending more of our children off to college without the proper training and skills to maintain and support a healthy lifestyle. Just look at the growing obesity problem to believe that this is the case. My guess is that kids don't have the planning, preparing, and habits for getting healthy meals everyday, and three times a day. With cell phones and text messaging at an all-time high, especially with high school and college kids, anything that takes longer than a minute just might be too inconvenient, as would be taking the time to prepare a healthy meal.

Are we letting the lesson of health slip through the cracks where the next generation is not going to take it seriously enough? Will this cause a backlash of more disease at an earlier age? Only time will tell, but it is defnitely an issue to be concerned with. As more and more kids go back to school, it is important to start with and emphasize what should be the highest priority: health. It's not that difficult to use fruits as snacks, have water bottles available, and to avoid fast foods. But it seems that getting regular exercise may be a big part of what's missing in college life. With new found freedom comes responsibility, and many times with it comes a hard lesson. Here are some additional points to keep in mind if you have a child that is off to college --

Medical History
Your children should know their health histories. Many kids have chronic illnesses or complex medical histories that could lead to serious problems if they don't know their own health histories. Studies have shown this. Make sure your child has his or her health insurance card. You'd be surprised how many kids forget to keep it with them and can't get treatment when they need it.

Get Emergency College Contacts
It is parents' greatest fear for a child to get sick at school because they won't be there. The parent should make sure they know who their child's resident adviser is, how to contact the campus police and the number of the local emergency room.

Talk About Alcohol Dangers
Kids often don't want to hear about the dangers of drinking, but you can -- and should -- talk to them and emphasize your concerns about alcohol. An article in USA Today just pointed out that extreme drinking is a rite of passage for more than 80 percent of college students on their 21st birthday. So, talking about the dangers is very important.

Watch for Stress-Related Problems
The college lifestyle can lead to stress, depression, sleep issues and eating problems. You need to be alert that your child is more vulnerable to all those problems.

Discuss Sexual Issues
You need to talk to our children about sex. It's a fear for all parents, and you need to have a frank discussion about your values and about sex in general. Read the full report...

Bottom line: Our children need to be taught the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and what it takes to maintain that health. Diet is certainly a big factor, with exercise, a positive attitude, adequate rest, and avoiding stressful factors that don't need to be included in their life (i.e. alcohol) - all important in avoiding sickness and having a positive and productive college experience...and life!

HWI

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