Many of the lifestyle habits that children and adolescents develop -- eating a diet high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, being physically inactive or sedentary, and experimenting with tobacco and alcohol use -- can have a major impact on their health later in life.
Given that, psychologists with expertise in children's health and behavior should be taking more of a lead role in helping young people develop good lifestyle habits early on and preventing these problems from occurring, says a researcher from Georgetown University Medical Center.
The scope of what child health psychologists can contribute to the health and well-being of children in our society is much broader than many have yet recognized, says Kenneth Tercyak, PhD, assistant professor of oncology and pediatrics and member of the Cancer Control Program at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Among the leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease, cancer and diabetes, but actual causes of death -- which are defined as lifestyle and behavioral factors such as smoking and physical inactivity -- contribute to this nation's leading killers Tercyak says.
"That means the choices that children and teenagers make early in life, and the activities that they engage in, can have serious implications for their physical health and well-being when they grow up," he says. "Because these health-compromising behaviors are typically initiated when a person is young, there is a need to more effectively prevent their onset and reform public health approaches to prevention. That is where child health psychologists can help."