March 5th, 2010
Recently, America’s school lunch menus have been under fire and parents are becoming increasingly concerned about the state of their children’s health and well-being. Federal law, under the School Lunch Act, provides nutritional guidelines and criteria to which schools must adhere. These guidelines include the amount and type of foods the cafeteria must offer, in addition to placing limits on nutrients like saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Specifically, school lunches must provide 1/3 of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and 1/3 of the Recommended Energy Intake (REI) for calories. In addition, the cafeteria must offer 5 components as part of a school lunch, of which three of the five must make their way onto the child’s lunch tray. These include a starch, meat (or meat substitute), fruit, vegetable and milk. There are similar guidelines for schools that serve breakfast as well. These guidelines are especially important because many children eat the majority of their meals at school.
Milk contributes a good portion of nutrients to school lunches. It is a valuable, nutrient-dense source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, all of which are important for achieving adequate nutrition and optimal growth in school-age children. However, whole milk can significantly contribute to the saturated fat and cholesterol content of a meal.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) whole milk and other full-fat dairy products are only appropriate for children under the age of 1-2 years old. Children under two, who are in a stage of rapid growth and brain development, have high energy and dietary fat requirements. They need the extra fat that whole milk contains.
Everybody else, however, should choosing low fat dairy products, including skim milk. In fact, the AAP states that no child over the age of two should be drinking whole milk. Skim milk is identical to whole milk in terms of nutritional value, but is markedly lower in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. Diets high in saturated fat are associated with increased risk for obesity, heart disease and certain cancers. Saturated fat intake causes harmful buildup in the arteries and blood vessels of healthy individuals, starting in young children. It is important to begin healthy eating habits as a child and to continue making healthy choices throughout life.
A good portion of a child’s learning happens through modeling. That is, by watching their parents or other caregivers’ actions, they learn how to be an adult. This is especially important when it comes to eating: your food preferences as an adult are closely related to the foods you saw your parents eating. But what happens when your child is eating 2 out of 3 meals a day at school, plus a snack? Because they are eating so many meals outside the home or the care of their parents, kids are increasingly reliant on teachers, caregivers and cafeteria staff to guide them to make healthy choices and model healthy eating behaviors.
The fact is, the people who are responsible for serving food to or eating with your children usually receive no formal nutrition education. In most cases, a position as a preschool classroom aide or a kitchen worker requires a high school level education. Regardless, whatever their educational background, it is a common misconception for people to think that whole milk has a nutritional advantage over skim milk. It is also very common that parents encounter teachers or caregivers who have different beliefs than their own when it comes to feeding their child. Especially when you’re talking about the welfare of a child’s health, when a parent feels one way but their caregiver feels another way, this can create some tension. A well-meaning day care worker just may not be aware of or understand the reasons why full-fat milk can be dangerous, even for young children. Parents often have a difficult time getting this message across but should continue to be an advocate for their child’s health.
In situations like this, as a parent you have the right to decide what your child does and does not eat. You can stress this issue to the teacher in a polite way while still standing firm. If needed, refer them to an appropriate resource, such as www.MyPyramid.gov, the American Academy of Pediatrics, your pediatrician, or even a local dietitian for further advice on this matter. Your child’s health comes first!
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February 26th, 2010
It is commonly believed that a vegetarian diet is a healthy diet. And that is usually true, but not always. Consider the mother who recently told me that her child had decided to become a vegetarian. As she described his diet, I realized that he did not eat a single fruit or vegetable! Isn’t that a fundamental part of being a vegetarian? More and more, however, young vegetarians are turning into “carb-etarians”, eating few fruits and vegetables and opting for starches, such as pasta, pizza, and French fries. Clearly, this sort of diet is in no way healthy.
There are many ways in which eating a true vegetarian diet (complete with fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins) can benefit your health. Dairy foods and certain animal products, like beef, tend to be high in saturated fat and cholesterol; limiting or eliminating these foods from your diet is a great way to cut back on these “bad” fats. However, people who choose to adopt a vegetarian way of life tend to make up these calories by eating more carbohydrates like breads, rice, pastas and other starches. While your LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) can be greatly reduced from switching to vegetarianism, a diet too high in carbohydrates can actually result in elevated triglyceride levels. Triglycerides contribute to total cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
The foundation of any healthy diet is one with balance, variety and moderation. Eating a wide range of foods ensures that you will get all of the nutrients your body requires. So while adopting vegetarianism can be part of a healthy lifestyle, it is important to choose your foods carefully. Relying solely on carbohydrates for nourishment is not healthy. Dietary protein is important for maintaining your immune system and for building and repairing your body tissues. Vegetarians need to eat the proper amount of plant-based protein each day.
Meats, fish, eggs and poultry are the most “complete” sources of essential amino acids, the protein building blocks that the body can’t make on its own. Other foods do contain protein but are usually “incomplete” sources of amino acids, meaning they have some, but not all, of the amino acids needed to make proteins. Vegetarians can ensure that they are getting all of the essential amino acids by combining foods, such as whole grains with nuts or legumes. For example, whole wheat bread with peanut butter, or rice and beans. These foods don’t necessarily have to be eaten at the same meal; as long as you are having these foods throughout the day, the body is able to “pool” amino acids and save them to form body protein later on.
It is very possible to consume a vegetarian diet that has only plant-based proteins and is still nutritionally balanced. In fact, this type of diet can greatly reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. Diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, peas and lentils are full of fiber and antioxidants, which decrease your risk for certain cancers and heart disease. In addition to making you feel full and satisfied, dietary fiber can lower serum cholesterol levels and improve colon health.
The heart-healthy benefits that can be gained from switching to vegetarianism are not solely dependent on the foods you eliminate from your diet. What you include in your diet is also important. The bottom line is that vegetarians must eat fruit, vegetables, and plant-based proteins.
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February 19th, 2010
Play dates are a great way for your child to interact with other children, learn to share, build social skills, and most of all, have fun! But what happens when your overweight child comes home to tell you about the fried Oreos or fast food snack he consumed at his friend’s house?
It is clear that parents often have different styles and ideas concerning food. But there are ways to ensure your child’s play date doesn’t turn into a day of indulgence.
Here are some helpful hints to having peace-of-mind during play dates.
1) Have an open conversation with your child. Discuss the food options he may encounter and help him come up with healthy alternatives. When served an unhealthy treat, teach him to respectfully say, “No thank you. May I have an apple or some almonds instead?” He doesn’t need to tell his friends why he is choosing a healthier food. If they ask, he can simply say, “I like this better.” End of discussion.
2) Talk to the other parents. You don’t need to go into details but you can mention that your family is trying to eat healthy and avoid junk food and super-sized portions. By saying your family and not your son, you switch the emphasis from your son’s weight to your entire family’s health.
3) Give some examples of the types of (easy) snacks that you prefer. Some parents may not know which snacks are healthy or may simply be unable to come up with healthy ideas. Choose items that most people have in their kitchens. You may mention apples or apple slices with peanut butter, bananas, low-fat yogurt, raw veggies, reduced-calorie bread with turkey slices, baked potato chips, and low-fat cheese sticks. You may find these parents stocking up on these healthy snacks once they see your child eating them. Everybody’s home may wind up healthier!
4) Ask the parents to serve your child water instead of juice or soda.
5) If your child is embarrassed to have you speak to his friend’s mother, simply send your child to the play date with a healthy snack from home. If your child feels comfortable bringing his own snack, prepare a snack ahead of time so he can enjoy a healthy option without having to explain himself. He can simply say, “I am just a picky eater so I brought my own.”
6) Lead by example: When you are hosting play dates, have a variety of foods for kids to try. Prepare healthy foods you know your children love and create a friendly environment for their friends to discover new foods.
For example, if you know your child loves red peppers, slice up a few and notice what happens. Other children will become curious and may end up loving red peppers too. When kids see a friend eating something and loving it, most often they will try it with on open mind, no force necessary! They will probably go home and ask Mom to buy their new favorite food… red peppers!
7) Encourage active play dates to decrease the amount of sedentary time children have throughout the day. Weather permitting, try to get the kids outside with suggestions such as playing tag, bike riding, shooting hoops or any running-type sport, like soccer. If it is winter time, try inside games like twister, Wii sport or Wii Fit to keep kids moving. Sometimes kids just need a little prodding to move away from the TV and towards something active.
Most of all, be open and honest with other parents. Explain that this is something you are struggling with in your own house and that you would appreciate any help on this matter. You may be surprised to learn that you are not the only family on the block with the exact same issues!
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February 13th, 2010
First there was the airbrushing of babies in magazines and now parents are starving newborns so they don’t become “fat babies”. What is this country coming to?
We all know that being overweight is unhealthy and can put a person at risk for medical illness. Being too thin, however, is also not healthy and often not attainable. Most of us were not meant to be a size zero. And those who do manage to starve themselves to this size, wind up regaining the weight. Yes, there are some people who are naturally skinny and they can be healthy. But most people really have to work to get (and stay) at that size, often using unhealthy methods. Society’s obsession with emaciation is leading to many adverse side effects.
Consider the case pending against Brittainy and Samuel Labberton for attempting to starve their newborn daughter to the point of clinical emaciation. They were much more concerned about the child’s looks than the child’s health! When the baby gained some (much-needed) weight during a hospitalization, Brittainy complained “’Oh my God, she’s fat’ and ‘I have a fat baby,’” according to Senior Deputy Prosecutor Carol Spoor. The baby’s dad was not better. He complained to detectives that his 9-month old daughter had “gained so much weight that now she is fat,” according to court documents. In fact, during a visitation after she was taken to a foster home, they gave the infant a bottle filled with a laxative to help remove some of the weight gained since the child’s removal from the house.
I see more subtle cases of this in my office, on a regular basis. I have seen mothers bring in normal-weight teen girls, complaining that they are too heavy. One mom even forced her daughter to drop her jeans so I could see “how disgusting her huge thighs are”. These moms are never pleased when I refuse to treat their daughters and instead I tell them that they are “healthy and beautiful.” Can you imagine what this does to a young girl’s self-image? My job is to help overweight kids get to a normal body weight, not to help young girls starve themselves to live up to some unrealistic expectation from their mothers!
The truth is that babies, children, and even adults NEED to have some body fat! The human brain is not fully developed at birth; during the first years of life, fat is used to nourish the brain and allow for proper development. Kids are supposed to have fat on their bodies, as well. Unlike adults, children are still growing and need sufficient calories and nutrients to do so. Even adults need some fat on their bodies. We were not meant to be stick-thin. A person considered “normal-weight” by the medical community would be considered enormous by Hollywood standards. Admiring pin-thin models and celebrities only leads our children to have more self-doubts and lower self-esteem. Instead of focusing on getting skinny, we should discuss getting healthy. There is a happy medium.
Children who feel accepted by their parents are more likely to feel secure, do better in school, and simply be happier. As parents, we must do all we can to nurture a positive sense of self in our children. Let’s stop obsessing about cellulite and a few extra pounds and instead focus on keeping weight in a healthy range, not too heavy and not too skinny. As my mom always says, “Everything in Moderation!”
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January 29th, 2010
In the winter when the cold weather blows in, you might find it hard to motivate yourself to get out of bed or even leave the house. Shorter winter days also mean less sunlight every day and sunlight helps us feel wide-awake. You might be experiencing a winter slump and a drop-off in energy levels like many other people. And when lacking in energy, many people look towards food for an extra boost. Make sure you’re choosing the right foods year-round and follow these tips for beating your winter blues!
Folate
Mood, sleep and appetite are regulated by serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Folic Acid, or folate, helps your body to process and lower homocysteine levels. High levels of homocysteine are associated with damage to blood vessels, in addition to interfering with the flow of blood and nutrients to the brain. Impaired blood flow may leave you feeling sluggish or slow to process or recall information.
Good sources of folic acid are green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts), potatoes, fortified breads and cereals, beans, peas and mushrooms.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids have hormone-like effects and anti-inflammatory properties in the body. People who experience seasonal depression during fall and winter have been found to have lower levels of omega-3s. They have also been found to experience an improvement in mood with supplementation of this nutrient.
Omega-3s are found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna, some plant oils (flaxseed, canola), and walnuts.
Vitamin D
The body normally makes Vitamin D from sunlight. This nutrient has many different roles in the body, one of which is to help in the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps you to feel calm, relaxed and happy. Many people are lacking in Vitamin D in the winter because of fewer daylight hours and exposure to sunlight. Currently, Vitamin D is being investigated for its ability to decrease depressive symptoms. Eat foods that are a good source of this vitamin.
Low fat milk is fortified with Vitamin D, in addition to many cereals and some orange juices (check the labels). One important thing to note is that food sources of Vitamin D are limited, and many people are deficient in this nutrient without even realizing it. Depending on your diet, you may need to take a Calcium + Vitamin D supplement.
Protein
Known for their ability to relax and calm your mood, carbohydrates can contribute to sleepiness. A diet high in protein and lower in carbohydrates may help to improve mood, stimulate energy and chase away feelings of sluggishness. Protein foods made from amino acids help to stimulate the production of tyrosine, which is responsible for the synthesis of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. These are chemicals in your brain that promote feeling alert and that enhance energy.
Low fat dairy products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt are good sources of protein, in addition to lean meats, poultry and eggs. Aim to have some protein on your plate at every meal to keep feeling lively and active all year round!
Rosemary
Many herbs and spices are notorious for their beneficial effects on health in addition to adding flavor to dishes. Rosemary has been shown to increase blood flow to your brain and improve mood. Like Omega-3 fatty acids, this herb also has anti-inflammatory properties and may even benefit the immune system. Responsible for fighting infection and warding off winter colds and flu, keeping your immune system strong will keep you on your feet and feeling great.
Use Rosemary to season your meals and bolster your immunity this winter season!
Just because the sky is gray and the temperature is low, doesn’t mean your mood has to be! Choosing the correct foods (in the appropriate portions) can give you more energy and help you handle those winter doldrums.
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January 22nd, 2010
The Age of Computers and Television has also become the Age of the Couch Potato. Instead of running outside to play, our kids choose to sit down and text. This decrease in activity level is contributing to the current child obesity epidemic. One third of all children in the United States are overweight or obese and at risk for medical illness because of their weight. Is your child part of that group? If so, insufficient exercise could be partly to blame.
A new study from the British Heart Foundation revealed that the vast majority of parents overestimate the amount of time their kids exercise. According to this study, seven out of ten parents think their kids get enough exercise but only one in ten actually meets current recommendations. Most parents don’t even know what the current recommendations are! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one hour of exercise almost every day of the week. Few children get even half that amount.
And many people confuse “physical activity” with “exercise”. True exercise requires an increase in heart rate and the inability to speak in full sentences. Your child is not working hard enough if she can carry on a conversation while she is moving. The next time your child is exercising, try this “talk test”. Ask her a question and see how she answers it. If she responds fluidly without any huffing and puffing, ask her to turn the intensity of her exercise up a notch. You can be sure your child is really exercising is she takes deep breaths between words.
Parents often believe that their kids are exercising whenever they play a sport. Yet many sports do not get a child’s heart rate up enough to constitute true exercise. Consider baseball; a child playing baseball spends most of his time sitting on the bench waiting to bat or standing in the field waiting for the ball. I always tell my patients that baseball isn’t exercise! Of course, a baseball practice that includes running drills is an exception and would be considered real exercise.
When parents ask me if a particular sport is considered exercise, I tell them that it depends. When my daughter first started to play soccer, she would stand on the sideline and watch the other kids run with the ball. If the ball would happen to come to her, she would kick it. Clearly, this was not exercise. But fast-forward two years later and she is a soccer animal! She runs up and down the field, trying to get the ball and score. Now she is exercising!
How can you ensure that your child is getting enough exercise? I recommend scheduling your child’s exercise just as you schedule a doctor’s appointment. Decide in advance when your child has the time to exercise and put it on the calendar. The key is to keep these appointments. Being tired or not in the mood does not constitute a reason to skip an exercise session. Would you skip a doctor’s appointment for those reasons? Of course not! Treat your exercise sessions the same way.
Remember, 70% of parents incorrectly believe their kids are getting enough exercise. Do not be part of that group! Examine your child’s exercise routine with an unbiased eye and make sure that she is getting the exercise she needs.
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January 15th, 2010
You can’t trust everything you read, especially if it is a nutrition label! In a disheartening study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers found that many dietetic frozen food entrees had many more calories than their nutrition labels claimed; on average, the frozen foods, including items from Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, and South Beach, contained 8% more calories than their boxes suggested. They also found many discrepancies between the number of calories in food items at many popular chain restaurants and the number of calories these restaurants claim their food contains. On average, restaurant foods contained 18% more calories than listed.
So if you can’t trust a printed calorie count, what can you trust? It seems, not much.
According to restaurant representatives, these calorie discrepancies are due to slight variations in portions sizes. For example, a particular restaurant worker may use slightly more cheese in the potato skins than another restaurant employee. They claim that it is impossible for workers across the country to keep menu items completely uniform.
This study brings into question the usefulness of the new “calorie labeling” laws recently passed in many areas, including New York City. What is the purpose of requiring companies to post calorie counts if they are not accurate?
In my opinion, calorie postings are crucial, even if the actual calorie count is not exact. According to the FDA, restaurant and packaged foods are allowed a 20% margin of error. Therefore, a 300 calorie sandwich may contain anywhere from 270 to 330 calories. These “estimates” (which is really what they are) give consumers a good idea of how healthy a food is. Even if you don’t know exactly how many calories an item contains, the postings give you an idea of which choices are healthier than others. And since few Americans adhere to a very strict number of daily calories, a rough estimate is good enough.
Some nutrition experts argue that eating an extra hundred or so calories on a continual basis will lead to weight gain. Of course that statement is true, but I just don’t see a better alternative. Having some idea of how many calories a food contains is better than having no idea at all.
Certain restaurants, however, have crossed the line. Slight variations in portion size do not explain the fact that P.F. Chang’s Sichuan Asparagus had more than DOUBLE the 200 calories the dish is reported to contain. Such egregious discrepancies are unacceptable and restaurants should have to pay significant fines for misleading the public.
Yet not all items went over their stated calorie counts. Researchers found many items that contained fewer calories than reported! Domino’s large thin crust pizza, for example, had one third fewer calories than the listed 180 calories per serving. Now that is a refreshing piece of news, although I guarantee that Domino’s will be posting this new, lower calorie count faster than P.F. Chang’s will change their Sichuan Asparagus calorie count!
Obviously, I would like calorie postings to be as accurate as possible. But when actual people are preparing the meals, there is no way for serving sizes to be 100% standardized. With the current obesity crisis as it is, we need to do everything we can to give consumers as much nutrition information as possible. Until there is a way to exactly calculate how many calories a person is eating, calorie estimates will have to suffice. Let’s just institute strict laws for companies, like P.F. Chang’s, who blatantly misrepresent themselves.
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January 8th, 2010
Remember when weight loss was simply about eating less and exercising more? These days, dieting is getting high tech. Every day, studies are released about the benefits of new electronic weight loss gadgets. But are they really necessary and will they actually help with weight loss?
A recent study from the British Medical Journal promotes the use of a small computer-linked food scale (called a Mandometer) to help with weight loss. The Mandometer was developed by researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. Dieters put their plates on this scale which weighs the remaining food as the meal is eaten. There is also a small screen which shows dieters the rate at which they are eating their food and the ideal rate at which they should be eating their food. When food is eaten too quickly, the computer tells the dieter to slow down.
The goal is to teach dieters to eat more slowly. As we have all heard time and again, it takes twenty minutes for the brain to tell the belly that it is full. Many overweight people eat too quickly; by the time the “fullness” signal gets to them, they have already eaten more food than necessary. Studies have shown that when you eat food more slowly, you feel full after fewer calories.
So does this new scale work? Doctors in England studied its use in obese children age nine to 17 years over an 18 month period. The study group was trained on using the Mandometer while the control group was not. Both groups were counseled to exercise one hour a day and follow a healthy diet.
After one year, the study group’s BMI had fallen an average of 2.1 points, around three times more thank the control group. Even better, this weight loss was maintained when measured 18 months later. At the end of the study, Mandometer patients were eating smaller servings at each meal and snack. They also ate their food more slowly than dieters in the control group.
I think the Mandometer sounds great. I constantly counsel my patients to eat more slowly. But it is not always easy; people don’t realize how quickly they are eating. A device that helps dieters eat more slowly can only help!
And the Mandometer is not the only new high-tech weight loss device. Other groups of doctors are developing wearable wireless sensors to monitor the overweight as they go about their daily lives. These sensors document how often the wearer exercises, how much food he eats, and the location in which he eats his food.
Why is it so important to have this information clearly delineated? Studies show that when dieters “self-report” what they have eaten and how much they have exercised, the data is usually not accurate. Dieters often underestimate portion sizes, forget some of the “little bites” they have eaten during the day, and exaggerate the calorie burn of their exercise. By using this sensor, the information becomes more accurate and more reliable.
Many of these devices are currently in development. Some of them contain video cameras or Bluetooth-enabled cell phones so users can take pictures of their meals, thereby documenting portion sizes. Dieters take pictures of their food before and after eating. The information can then be sent to a lab where a calorie count can be determined. In some instances, dieters can get immediate feedback about their calorie intake!
These devices also contain accelerometers that can measure the length and intensity of a workout. If the device senses a prolonged period of inactivity, the wearer can receive a text message telling them to get moving!
But do these devices actually lead to weight loss? It seems logical that they would but studies are still ongoing. I know that I would LOVE to try one of these sensors. I imagine that the cost of the device and the data interpretation would be high but I think the results would be invaluable.
The bottom line is that most dieters underestimate the number of calories they eat each day and overestimate the calorie burn of their exercise sessions. A gadget to accurately gauge this information should help set the record straight. I believe that if these sensors become widely available, weight loss would become that much easier.
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January 4th, 2010
Welcome Year 2010! Let this be a year for being fit, having fun, spending time with family, and making healthy choices. Here are some tips and daily reminders for starting off the New Year right.
Tip 1: Do not let last year discourage you!
Let last year’s bumps in the road be a stepping stone for this year’s improvements. Focus on how you and your family can improve the food choices you make each day. For example, when you’re dining out, help each other choose healthier options from the menu. Encourage your family members to avoid the bread and butter before the meal is served and avoid heavy dressings and sauces that often contain hundreds of extra “hidden” calories. Remember to help each other out while dining out and also while at home. Everybody needs a support system.
Tip 2: Be smart! Do not let the mish mash of words advertised on food packages trick you.
Phrases such as “whole grain”, “no artificial flavors and colors added”, and “fortified with vitamins” do not necessarily indicate healthy and nutritious food options. Instead of trusting a food’s advertisements, check out its nutrition label. It would be helpful to compare two similar products and their calorie counts, grams of carbohydrate, and sugar content per serving. Remember, nutrition labels never lie!
Number 3: Have the whole family get involved and plan ahead.
Make a New Year’s Resolution to plan ahead. Set aside one half hour each night during the week, possibly right after dinner, to sit with your kids and plan the next day’s meals. First, plan a healthy and balanced meal for breakfast (aim to include at least one serving of fruit). A smoothie made with low-fat yogurt and varied fruit is a simple way to sneak much-needed fruit and dairy into breakfast. Yum!! Each week, one family member can be in charge of picking the smoothie flavors for the week. During this time you should also help each other pack lunch boxes for the following day. Planning ahead will give you and your family time to think clearly through each meal, becoming aware of your options and choices. Rushed choices are generally not the most nutritious. Planning ahead can lead to a much healthier diet!
Number 4: Be smart about food shopping.
First, remember to bring your list and if you usually do not bring one, start one! It is easy to get distracted with all of the advertisements on food packages. Sticking to your shopping list will help you avoid purchasing unnecessary and unhealthy items. Secondly, it is a good idea to have a snack before going food shopping. This will help you focus on the health value of what you are buying and not on what looks good for a snack at the moment. Hungry shoppers always buy more food! Snacking beforehand will also help you avoid “free samples” that add plenty of extra calories. Recently, even non-food stores have added snack sections offering sugary sodas, candy, and salty snacks to distracted and hungry customers. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a snack prior to leaving the house.
Number 5: Educate your children.
Lastly, it is important to talk to your kids and teach them how to make healthy choices. The best way to do this is to keep them involved. Instead of simply banning unhealthy foods from the house, explain to them why it is important to eat a healthy diet. Educate them by explaining that eating healthy at a young age leads to a healthy heart and body and will keep them feeling great for life! Explain the importance of eating a variety of different foods each day. You should also explain the importance of each food group. By researching and learning about healthy choices and diets together, you and your children can start off the New Year on the right food and create a live-able, easy, and fun pattern of eating.
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December 16th, 2009
Everybody seems to be talking about the Department of Health’s new video on YouTube. The subject of all the fascination? A man drinking a can of soda with fat (yes, I said fat) pouring into his mouth. The image is vile and disgusting, but effective! During the video, you learn that drinking just one can of soda a day can lead to a 10 pound fat gain in just one year. I would guess that the majority of the population did not know that one daily soda could lead to such a large weight gain.
Click here to watch the video.
The video is straight to the point, brutally honest, and quite frankly, something parents needs to see. Shock value works. Remember the commercials that showed what smoking does to the body’s organs? Of course you do. How could you forget? I know many people who decided to quit smoking after watching those commercials. You can no longer ignore what you are doing to your body when you are forced to watch it, to visualize the effects.
When people think about weight gain and obese children, they usually imagine a kid sitting down to a fast food lunch and a hot fudge sundae. Obviously, those food choices will lead to weight gain. But so will drinking sugary drinks, a cause of obesity that often gets overlooked. These forms of liquid candy are just as dangerous to our children’s health. Drinking sugary beverages has been directly linked to tooth decay, weakened bones, caffeine dependence and, of course, obesity.
Did you know that one 12 ounce can of soda contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar? No parent would ever knowingly give her child a glass of water filled with 10 teaspoons of sugar; yet that is what you are doing each time you pop open a can of pop. Each additional serving of soda increases a child’s odds of obesity by 60% and can increase body mass index (BMI) dramatically.
Sugary beverages add “empty calories” with no nutritional content. Many children who drink soda do not consume enough calcium and vitamin D, leading to bone demineralization and increased fractures. Caffeine in soda also causes the body to excrete more calcium in the urine and further increase bone loss.
A 2003 study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that soda consumption increased 60% from 1991 to 1996. More than 15 billion gallons of soda were sold in 2000 alone!
Parents greatly underestimate the damage of sugary drinks. In the past decade soda has replaced milk and water as the go to beverages at meal times and is a leading contributor to weight gain and many health issues. Many parents still allow their kids to have a soda or other sugary beverage each day.
According to the National Health Institute, “studies show that people who consume many foods and drinks with added sugar tend to consume more calories than people who consume fewer of these foods. They also show a link between weight gain and drinking sweetened beverages. Cutting back on added sugars, especially from sweetened beverages such as regular soda and fruit punch, can help you and your family maintain a healthy weight.”
I applaud the Department of Health for taking all necessary steps to inform the public about the dangers of sugary beverages. This video is not easy to watch and is even harder to forget! May the image stick in the minds of all parents who indulge their kids with sugary beverages.
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Tags: anti-soda campaign, Child Obesity
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