[전문의 칼럼]’5 Lifestyle Rules’ to Help Our Children Grow Taller

2024-07-25 14:34:05

Hwang Il-tae, President of the Korean Pediatric Endocrine Society (Professor of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital)

Hwang Il-tae, President of the Korean Pediatric Endocrine Society (Professor of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital)

As summer vacation begins in elementary, middle, and high schools across the country, many parents are visiting hospitals to consult about their children’s height growth. The best prescription for children’s height growth is ‘good living habits’. This is because children’s daily eating, sleeping, and living habits have a great impact on growth. We introduce five rules of life for good growth recommended by the Korean Society of Pediatric Endocrine Diseases, ‘Ha-ha-sma-il-hyang’.

First of all, ‘Ha’ means sleeping more than 8 hours a day. The quality of sleep is as important as the time. Growth hormones are secreted well when you are in deep sleep. Late night school, excessive use of electronic devices such as smartphones, and parents returning home late have a negative impact on children’s sleeping habits. You need to go to bed at a set time every day so that you don’t lose your sleep rhythm, and if you have trouble sleeping deeply due to atopy or rhinitis, you need to correct the cause.

The second ‘ha’ is to exercise for more than 30 minutes a day. It is better to exercise consistently every day rather than cramming it in on the weekend. Aerobic exercise such as jumping rope, running, and cycling is effective in stimulating the growth plate. Above all, it is good to support children to find exercise that suits their physical strength and interests and to continue it. It is also good to develop habits for active physical activity in daily life, such as taking the stairs to lower floors and walking short distances.

‘SMA’ means reducing the use of smartphones, computers, and TVs. According to a recent survey, Korean children and adolescents use smartphones and computers for about two hours a day. As media viewing time increases, exercise time, outdoor activity time, and sleep time decrease relatively, which has a negative effect on growth. There are also research results that show that if media use time exceeds two hours a day, the risk of childhood obesity increases. Obesity can accelerate bone maturation, which can cause growth plates to close early.

‘Work’ is getting enough sunlight for more than 30 minutes a day. Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin when exposed to sunlight, but if you are only indoors and lack vitamin D, it can hinder calcium absorption and bone growth. It is best if you can run around and play to your heart’s content while getting more than 30 minutes of sunlight every day. It is also recommended to go outside on weekends and enjoy walking and exercising.

‘Health’ is a healthy diet, eating three meals a day. You have to eat well to grow well. Rather than focusing on specific nutrients, you should consume a balanced diet of the five major nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. However, excessive calorie intake can actually cause obesity, so caution is needed. Above all, in order for children to grow healthily, it is important for the whole family to consistently maintain healthy lifestyle habits. I hope this summer vacation will be an opportunity for the whole family to establish healthy lifestyle habits.

Hwang Il-tae, President of the Korean Pediatric Endocrine Society (Professor of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital)

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2024-07-25 14:34:05