1. Middle Childhood (6-11 years)
Health, Fitness, and Safety

2. Middle Childhood
Vaccines for major childhood illnesses make middle childhood relatively safe time of life
Death rate is lowest in the life span

3. Obesity and Body Image Worldwide health issue BMI: Body Mass Index
Boys more likely to have higher BMI vs. girls
Body Image: how one believes he or she looks
Becomes very important in middle childhood
More for boys or girls? Why?

4. Barbie
Do you think Barbie dolls affect girls’ body image? Why or why not?
Proportions are “unrealistic, unattainable, and unhealthy.”

5. Causes of Obesity Inherited Tendencies Too little exercise
Too much or wrong kinds of food
Overweight parents/relatives TV

6. Serious Concern Overweight children:
Can fall behind peers in physical and social functioning
Can suffer emotionally – indulging w/ treats
At risk for depression, behavior problems, and low self-esteem
Health problems: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high insulin levels
More likely to become overweight adults and have other health problems

7. Prevention & Treatment of Obesity/Overweight
Prevention better than treatment
What would you do?

8. Acute vs. Chronic Medical Conditions
Acute: occasional and short-term
Colds, flu, other viruses
Piaget – once egocentric, now germs
Chronic: illnesses/impairments lasting at least 3 months
Asthma
Stuttering – boys more than girls

9. Accidental Injuries
Doing more physical activity and supervised less, accidents are more common
Boys more than girls and repeat injuries
Leading cause of death of school-aged children in United States.

10. Accidental Injuries (cont.)
Bicycle accidents: 88 percent of brain injuries could be prevented by using helmets
Protective headgear necessary for most sports
High risks from trampolines

11. What do you think?
What can help reduce accidental injuries in this age group?