Healthy Habits for Children: Leveraging Existing Evidence to Demonstrate Value

Abstract

Healthy habits is a psychoeducational construct that refers to the preventive practice of analyzing and then adapting the sleep, physical, and eating routines of children in ways that enhance health and well-being. This approach is based on evidence that demonstrates the positive therapeutic value of engaging in proactive, healthful behaviors. In addressing healthy habits, occupational therapy practitioners have an opportunity to contribute to the Triple Aim of health care reform while demonstrating the value of occupational therapy in educational, medical, community, and other settings.

Occupational Therapy Wellness Program: Youth and Parent Perspectives

“…In addition, the program emphasized easy strategies for changing task behaviors that might be detrimental to health. Evidence supports interventions that optimize health in a powerful way by focusing on habits surrounding physical activity, healthy nutrition, and sleep hygiene (Persch, Lamb, Metzler, & Fristad, 2015). Skillful, occupation-based analysis and focused intervention help prevent illness, promote wellness, and demonstrate the value of occupational therapy in community settings (Persch et al, 2015).…”

“…Evidence supports interventions that optimize health in a powerful way by focusing on habits surrounding physical activity, healthy nutrition, and sleep hygiene (Persch, Lamb, Metzler, & Fristad, 2015). Skillful, occupation-based analysis and focused intervention help prevent illness, promote wellness, and demonstrate the value of occupational therapy in community settings (Persch et al, 2015). Through the interviews, it was learned that the children were able to expand their knowledge of health, wellness, and daily routines by being able to provide a definition of health and to demonstrate the ability to make changes in their active time by the end of the 6-wk program.…”

Application of the Human Well-Being Index to Sensitive Population Divisions: a Children’s Well-Being Index Development

“…The healthy behaviors index used in HWBI is re-created using youth specific survey tools and both teen pregnancy and teen tobacco use are kept exactly. The representation of each of the metrics (soda and milk consumption, multiple sex partners and sex before age of 13, lack of exercise, fruit and vegetable consumption) to children's health is supported by research and demonstrates clear connections to mental and physical health outcomes (Hemphill et al 2014;Lemma et al 2015;Persch et al 2015;Klein et al 2005;Mistry et al 2014;Rosiek et al 2015;Yan and Brocksen 2013). Both happiness and perceived health are retained in the personal well-being indicator, although with slight modifications.…”

La siesta y el exceso de peso en escolares de Mérida, Yucatán. Estudio analítico transversal

“…La edad escolar y la adolescencia son unas etapas críticas para la conformación de estilos de vida y hábitos alimenticios beneficiosos que persistirán en etapas posteriores, es por ello que en esta etapa deben fortalecerse los hábitos saludables. 34,35 Las complicaciones de salud provenientes de la obesidad son amplias, tanto en la edad adulta como en la infancia. Por otro lado, la obesidad infantil es la antesala de la obesidad adulta, pues se ha señalado que casi ocho de cada diez niños rollizos terminan convirtiéndose en adultos obesos.…”