With the lazy days of summer, it's easy to let good eating habits and sleep schedules slide. But getting the right nutrition and the right amount of sleep are both important for your budding student.

What should my child eat? Although school lunch programs and vending machines on campus have taken a lot of heat for contributing to a nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity, schools are not the only ones to blame. In a recent American Journal of Public Health study, the data showed that the body mass index of kindergartners and first-graders increased two to three times as fast in summer as during the school year. This may be because students are more likely to have structured days and regular meals during the school year, as well as regular exercise. They may be watching less TV during the school year, too.

This means parents need to provide structure for their kids during the summer, with regular mealtimes and healthy snacks, and be aware of what their kids are eating at summer programs and at home.

Make sure your child eats plenty of fruits and vegetables. Health experts at the Harvard School of Public Health recommend eating nine servings (about 4 ½ cups) of fruits and vegetables a day. That means including fruits and vegetables at every meal — and in between, too! Fruit slices and carrot and celery sticks make good snacks and are easy to take along in the car or on summer outings. The health benefits of eating lots of fruits and vegetables include lower blood pressure; reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and probably some cancers.

Offer plenty of whole grains and low-fat proteins such as fish, poultry and nuts. Make sure your child is in the habit of eating a good breakfast well before the start of school. Look for breakfast cereals that have little to no sugar and contain whole grains such as oats, bran and whole cornmeal. Choose whole wheat bread for sandwiches and whole wheat pasta for your next spaghetti feed. These healthy eating habits will help prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Cut down intake of saturated fats and sugar. Lemonade, juice and soda are all big sources of sugar and empty calories. It's tempting during the summer to reach for these to quench your child's thirst. In preparation for back to school, promote good health habits by switching to low-fat or nonfat milk and water as healthy alternatives. It's time to cut back on other summer treats like ice cream and French fries, too. Good alternatives are easy-to-make fruit pops, smoothies and these healthy snacks.

Check the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source for more healthy eating ideas.

How much sleep does my child need? Children ages 5 to 12 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep and teens need nine hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Sleep deprivation can affect cognitive skills and academic achievement. A continuing lack of sleep is linked to serious health problems including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, depression and a shortened life span. It's easy to fall into a relaxed bedtime schedule during the summer but it's a good idea to gradually change the summer routine well before school starts. To avoid bedtime battles as the beginning of school approaches, try moving bedtime earlier by 10 or 15 minutes each week, beginning three weeks before school starts. Encourage your child to start getting up earlier, too.

"Most important in changing the sleep schedule is to get your child up on time. You can be less concerned about getting them to bed on time as research shows getting them up is key to making the shift," says Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology at Temple University, and author of You and Your Adolescent and The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting.

Learn more about the importance of sleep for school success:
Sleep: The Secret Weapon for School Success

June 2008