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INLAND EMPIRE OBESITY Whether heavy or unfit, numbers are not good * Statistic box- More than 25% of children and teens living in Riverside and San Bernardino are overweight. The California Center for Public Health Advocacy has reported that more than 25% of children and teens living in Riverside and San Bernardino are overweight. If that news is not bad enough, in an analysis of a California Physical Fitness Test, about 40% of Inland Empire children tested were deemed unfit, higher than average for the entire Southern California region. “The effects of obesity in childhood can be devastating,” says Dr. Samuel R. Catalon, a physician at the Riverside Medical Clinic who specializes in pediatrics. “We are seeing the onset of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease earlier and earlier. The longer a person lives with a disease like diabetes, the harder it is on the body.” Some of the numbers in the report bear out Catalon’s advice that this is a problem that cannot be corrected too early. Among the report’s findings are that 50% of obese adolescents are likely to remain obese as adults and that 80% of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The report points to physical inactivity as a leading cause of childhood obesity and that is a special concern for families living in the Inland Empire. A Rand study reported that urban sprawl, such as exists in the Inland Empire, may be partly to blame for this problem. The need for residents to drive virtually everywhere – school, work, shopping – contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. In an effort to educate local parents and children about this problem and find some solutions, the Riverside Medical Clinic is offering free monthly seminars on pediatric weight management to all Inland Empire residents. This program targets two separate age groups, ages 6-12, and another for ages 13-17. Glendy Chen, a registered dietician at RMC, believes that offering classes like these is a step in the right direction. “This is the first generation suffering from chronic diseases at a younger age than their parents,” Chen says.m For more information about the Riverside Medical Clinic, call 951.683. 6370 or visit www.riversidemedicalclinic.com. By Michael J. Medley OPENING DOORS Homebuilder promotes reading program Shea Homes, a builder working in the Inland Empire, has begun a national literacy campaign. Read With Your Child 15 Minutes A Day helps spread the word that reading is the foundation of learning. The homebuilder reports: “Throughout our five-county region, two-thirds of the more than 1 million kindergarten through third-grade students are reading below grade level and students in California rank among the lowest in the nation in reading skills.” Says Bill Pisetsky, vice president, sales and marketing for Shea Homes: “As we learned more about the illiteracy in young Americans, it became very apparent that we needed to help in that way.” The reading message is designed for preschoolers, ages 2-6, as a primer to prompt them to gain an appreciation, and a love, of learning. It stresses the importance of a parent or caregiver spending just 15 minutes a day reading to a child and how that commitment can make a difference in a life. “We understand the reality that we are in the homebuilding business,” says Pisetsky. “But in our core, we believe we’re in the people business, and we want to do what is right for people. If we can send this message properly, it could in fact have enormous, immeasurable benefits.” Launched in April, Read With Your Child 15 Minutes A Day has been endorsed by California Secretary of Education Richard J. Riordan. “I am deeply aware of the importance of engendering a love of learning through reading from the earliest possible moment in a child’s experience,” the former Los Angeles mayor said in a statement. Pisetsky says Shea Homes is getting the word out through advertising, brochures, newsletters and at its model homes. Information: 714.792.2520 or sheahomes.com BE DRUG-FREE Summertime is when kids often give it a try More teens first try marijuana in June and July than any other months of the year, according to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health report. Each day in June and July, an average of 6,300 youth try marijuana for the first time – that’s 40% more per day than during the rest of the year. The number of new underage drinkers and cigarette smokers also jumps during the summer months. The Office of National Drug Control Policy offers these tips for parents to help keep their children substance-free. • Set rules. Two-thirds of children say that upsetting their parents or losing the respect of family and friends is one of the main reasons they don’t smoke marijuana or use other drugs. Set limits with clear consequences for breaking them; praise and reward good behavior. • Understand and communicate. Young people who learn about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50% less likely to try drugs than their peers who learn nothing from their parents. Look for teachable moments in everyday life to keep the conversation ongoing. • Monitor your teen’s activities and behaviors. Teens who are not regularly monitored by their parents are four times more likely to use drugs. Check up on your teen to make sure they are where they say they are. • Make sure you stay involved in your teen’s life. Stay in touch with the adult supervisors of your child (camp counselors, coaches, employers, coaches, employers) and have them inform you of any changes in your teen. • Engage your teen in summer activities. Research shows that teens who are involved in constructive and adult-supervised activities are less likely to use drugs. • Reserve time for family. Teens who spend time, talk and have a close relationship with their parents are much less likely to drink, take drugs or have sex. For more information on keeping your teen drug-free, visit www.TheAntiDrug.com. THAT SPF What you need to know about sunscreen You already know your children need to wear sunscreen when they head outdoors, but how much do you know about what you’re slathering on them? How is one product different from another? What does SPF mean? Here are answers to those “burning” questions from Paula Begoun, author, consumer watchdog and a self-proclaimed cosmetic cop. You should wear sunscreen every day. Damage from the sun’s rays takes place from the moment you walk outside. You must wear sunscreen even when sitting in the shade. The sun is reflected from areas around you. Water, cement, even grass reflect the sun’s rays back on you. SPF stands for sunscreen protection factor. It is a measure of how long you can stay in the sun before you will be burned. The formula to calculate how long you are protected from the sun with the product you are using is this: 20 (minutes) x 15 (SPF) = 300 minutes, or five hours. If your kids are swimming, use water-resistant sunscreen. Be aware that it must be reapplied every 40 to 80 minutes. The SPF measurement only relates to UVB (sunburn) rays. You also need UVA protection. To make sure you’re “covered,” check for the ingredients zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and avobenzone. They must be listed as active ingredients, not just regular ingredients, in order to provide full protection. As a general rule, an SPF 2 product blocks 50% of the UVB rays; SPF 10 sunscreens block about 85%; and SPF 30, about 96%. Any product with a higher SPF doesn’t block more rays, it only allows you more time in the sun. Make sure to apply sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before your children are exposed to the sun and do not apply to children under 6 months old. They must be kept out of the sun altogether. Information: www.cosmeticscop.com ON YOUR KNEE Nine tips for reading to the very young Shea Homes, which has launched a nationwide literacy awareness program, Read With Your Child 15 Minutes A Day (see previous story), has developed easy tips to keep a young child’s attention span intact and enthusiasm high: 1. Show your child that reading is fun: Create voices for characters and use your body to tell the story. 2. A picture is worth 1,000 words: Don’t always read word for word. Sometimes just talk about what is happening in the illustrations. 3. Interactive reading: Expose your child to books they can touch and feel. 4. Sing songs or nursery rhymes: Rhyme or repetition helps young children learn the sound of language. 5. Fill in the blank: Let your child fill in a word of a favorite book or one that used repetitive language. 4.Ask questions: Use the story as an opportunity to talk. 5. Let your child tell the story: A child as young as 3 can memorize a story and tell it to others. 6. Get the family involved: Reading together is a way to unite the family. 7. Discover community reading programs: Local libraries have story time for babies and toddlers. ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPS Arlington High School in Riverside sent two teams, the Mountain Lions and the American Lions, to the 2005 California Envirothon held in April and came home with first- and third-place finishes, respectively. El Camino Real High School of Woodland Hills took second place in the competition held near Yosemite National Park. The Mountain Lions are now preparing to represent California at the 2005 Canon Envirothon being held next month at Southwest Missouri State University. In the Envirothon, teams of high school students work together to answer written questions and conduct hands-on projects focusing on environmental issues. MUSIC EDUCATION HELP El Torito opened its first restaurant of 2005 in Corona this past April. The opening kicked off with a VIP gala event featuring a silent auction for the benefit of the Fender Center for the Performing Arts, including its “Kids Rock Free” music education program. A donation of $4,384 was made from the one-night event. El Torito also donated 10 percent of the new restaurant’s April 13 proceeds to the Fender Center. RIVERSIDE JUNETEENTH The 5th Annual Riverside Juneteenth Celebration takes place from noon-6 p.m. on June 4 at the Stratton Community Center in Bordwell Park. The theme of this free family festival is “Family Reunions” and features entertainment by local talent, health and community information booths, as well as food and merchandise. Awards will be presented to community members and organizations committed to family values and scholarships will be awarded to college-bound high school seniors. For more information, call 951.788.4959 or visit www.riversidejuneteenth.org. HISTORY CHAMPIONS Students from Upland High School and Sequoia Middle School in Fontana had the most champions in their respective divisions at the 16th annual San Bernardino County History Day competition held last March at A.B. Miller High School in Fontana. Upland High took 11 championships in the senior division and Sequoia Middle took seven titles in the junior division. Canyon Crest School in Fontana led the elementary division with four championships. Nearly 200 students submitted more than 100 entries, including exhibits, research papers and Web sites from the middle and high school students and a poster contest for the elementary division. NEW PARK GETS READY Ground was broken in April for the new La Ladera Park in Menifee. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved this project in February and the park is expected to be completed in September. La Ladera Park will be located near the intersection of Newport Road and La Ladera Road in unincorporated Menifee. The 8.3-acre park will include a softball diamond, tot lot, soccer field, basketball court, tennis court, and a walking trail. NEW RETAILERS FOR VICTORIA GARDENS Victoria Gardens recently announced that several new retailers are coming to the huge open-air shopping, dining and entertainment destination. Urban Outfitters, ISSI, King’s Fish House, Nathan’s Famous, and Puppies & Moodoggies will be added to the list of shopping and dining options. Urban Outfitters and ISSI are making their first ventures in the Inland Empire at Victoria Gardens. Victoria Gardens is located at the northwest corner of I-15 and Foothill Boulevard in Rancho Cucamonga. FOSTER, ADOPTIVE PARENTS WANTED With more than 70,000 children removed from their parents’ homes due to abuse and neglect, and 134,000 children awaiting adoptive homes in the United States, a loving, nurturing home as either a foster or adoptive parent is much-needed. The Children’s Bureau in Ontario – a licensed foster family and adoption agency – is looking for a few good people. Information: 800.730.3933, Ext. 203, or www.all4kids.org. – Compiled and reported by Inland Empire Family Magazine staff |
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