According to current medical understanding, puberty normally begins in girls between ages 8 and 12 and in boys between ages 9 and 14. Historically, “precocious puberty” (early-onset puberty) has been defined as before the age of 8 for a girl and before the age of 9 for a boy.  The beginning of puberty is marked by penile enlargement or pubic hair growth for boys and breast bud formation and pubic hair growth for girls.  If a child shows such signs of puberty before this age, she is sent to a pediatric endocrinologist for a full workup.

Why does obesity lead to early-onset puberty?  Adipose (fat) tissue is metabolically active; fat tissue produces estrogen.  The more fat tissue a child has, the more estrogen she is exposed to.  It is generally accepted that overweight kids begin puberty earlier for this reason.

The presence of increased amounts of environment chemicals that mimic the effects of the sex hormones may also speed up the onset of puberty.  To date, there is no evidence to prove that assumption.   Dr. Frank M. Biro, the author of this new study, believes environmental chemicals are playing a role and will begin studying girls’ hormone levels and lab tests measuring their exposures to various chemicals.  More research needs to be done before we can conclusively state that these chemicals are affecting our children.

Early-onset puberty can lead to medical problems.  Girls who begin menstruating early have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer than other girls; such girls have a longer lifetime exposure to estrogen and progesterone, which can increase the growth of certain tumors.  While this study looked at breast growth and not menstruation, breast growth is also a sign of hormone exposure and likely also indicates an increased risk of cancer.

Kids with early-onset puberty also suffer from short stature.  While they initially appear taller than their peers, their growth plates close early, preventing the attainment of normal height.   The child who was the tallest in her class soon becomes shorter than her friends.

Girls with early puberty are also more likely to have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).  PCOS is a hormone disorder that begins in puberty and causes infertility, acne, and other endocrine abnormalities.

The onset of puberty differs among races.  African American and Hispanic children often begin puberty earlier than kids of other races, even when weight is taken into account.  This differential was confirmed in the current study.  While all kids seemed to enter puberty earlier, African American and Hispanic children began the earliest.

Not all doctors agree with the results of this study.  Dr. Catherine Gordon, a pediatric endocrinologist and specialist in adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston, said that so far, most evidence showed that neither breast development nor menstrual age had changed for white girls of normal weight.  Yet according to Dr. Biro, “our analysis shows clearly that the white participants entered puberty earlier than we anticipated.”

The new study included 1,239 girls ages 6 to 8 who were recruited from schools and examined at one of three sites: the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Manhattan, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or Kaiser Permanente Northern California/University of California, San Francisco. The group was roughly 30 percent each white, black and Hispanic, and about 5 percent Asian.

At 7 years, 10.4 percent of white, 23.4 percent of black and 14.9 percent of Hispanic girls had enough breast development to be considered at the onset of puberty.

At age 8, the figures were 18.3 percent in whites, 42.9 percent in blacks and 30.9 percent in Hispanics. The percentages for blacks and whites were even higher than those found by the 1997 study that was one of the first to suggest that puberty was occurring earlier in girls.

The question remains, when should doctors refer a child for a precocious puberty workup?  Some endocrinologists worry that if we accept puberty beginning at age 7 or 8 we would overlook serious medical problems, like endocrine diseases and tumors.  On the other hand, if this earlier puberty is the new norm, why should we frighten families and waste valuable time and money on unnecessary tests?  At this time, current practice does warrant a workup for any girl who shows signs of puberty before age 8.

It is clear that early-onset puberty is just one more effect of the child obesity epidemic.  It is imperative that we help our overweight children attain a healthy weight as soon as possible.  Parents are urged to get help for their overweight kids as soon as they begin to show signs of abnormal weight gain.

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Beans are a fabulous source of fiber!  In fact, a cup of beans has twice as much fiber as a cup of most vegetables.  Beans provide a major source of soluble fiber, which, when passing through the digestive tract grabs and traps bile that contains cholesterol, removing it from the body before it’s absorbed.  Eating a cup of beans a day will lower cholesterol and decrease risk for heart disease by as much as 22%.  The high fiber also makes you feel full so you eat less throughout the day, helping with weight maintenance.  The soluble fiber in beans also helps to decrease insulin resistance, the starting point for Type 2 Diabetes.  Beans are also a great source of insoluble fiber which increases stool bulk and decreases the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids.

Beans also contain compounds called isoflavins which help prevent normal cells from turning cancerous.  Soybeans contain phytoestrogens which are thought to decrease the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Beans fill many dietary requirements, including 32%DV of folate, 9%DV of potassium, and are very high in protein and fiber but and low in fat. Dried or canned beans will give you the same benefit, but canned beans are high in sodium so be sure to drain and rinse well.

Parents are sometimes wary of giving their kids beans due to the “gas factor”.  Beans cause gas because they contain large amounts of a particular carbohydrate called raffinose.  Our GI tract can’t digest raffinose so it travels to the large intestine where it is rapidly fermented by the bacteria that naturally live in our intestines.  The end products of this fermentation are gasses, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen.  The gases accumulate and eventually leave the body as flatulence.  Both the absorbance of gas and the composition of intestinal bacteria vary widely among people so some people experience more gas after ingesting beans than others.

Most kids love to eat hot dogs with baked beans.  My mom used to chop the hotdogs up and mix them right in with the baked beans.  Beans can also be easily served in Mexican dishes, such as tacos or fajitas.  Nobody can resist a hot bowl of chili topped with melted low-fat cheese!  My kids love to eat hummus.  In fact, that is how I first got my kids to eat raw vegetables!  Hummus is also delicious with pita bread.  There are lots of ways to get kids to eat beans without a fight!

A younger toddler (age 1 – 2) requires 2 oz of meat/beans each day.  An older toddler (age 3-4) requires 3 – 4 oz of meat/beans each day.  ¼ cup of dried beans is equivalent to 1 ounce.

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Toxins enter the body through food or water, chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even the air that we breathe. Luckily, our bodies have the ability to process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine, and feces.

The American diet is low in water and whole grains and too high in refined sugar, caffeine, unhealthy fats and protein.   Over consumption of the aforementioned nutrients can create food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, bacterial overgrowth, yeast infections, weak hair, skin, and nails, and a host of other conditions.

But does that mean we should all “detox” our bodies from harmful toxins?  From my perspective, the whole “detox” craze is just another money-making industry preying on the insecure and teaching faulty eating principles.  “Detox” diets aim to eliminate harmful processed foods and refined sugar a few times a year by limiting us to just a certain few foods for a period of time.  But our bodies are designed to function best with a healthy, well-balanced diet.  I do encourage a diet with minimal processed foods and refined sugar.  But we don’t need to fast to accomplish this goal.  And further, shouldn’t we aim to eat well all the time?  How effective can a few days of restriction really be when we are eating garbage the rest of the time?

Detox diets are designed for short-term use and require fasting.  If used for longer periods of time, they may cause health problems.  Further, significantly lowering one’s calorie intake during a fast will result in a slowing of the dieter’s metabolism, thus making long term weight loss more difficult.

The Master Cleanse (aka lemonade diet) requires limiting our food intake to water with lemons, laxative tea and salt water in order to “cleanse” the body.  Weight loss may occur from this diet but it is mainly from loss of water, not from fat loss.  If used over a long period of time, the body will begin to break down muscle mass for energy.  So while you may see a drop on the scale, it is from metabolically active (and much-needed) muscle rather than from fat.   This diet is nutritionally void and lacking nutrients.  Many dieters quickly regain the lost weight upon completion of the Master Cleanse.  It is clear that we were not meant to live on lemons and laxatives!

Many detox supplements contain herbs and laxatives designed to make the dieter “eliminate” often.  Over-elimination can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances and may permanently affect the digestive system if used for too long.  Make sure you read the ingredient list before beginning any cleansing regimen and research each ingredient so you know what you are ingesting.  These programs often utilize senna, a known laxative.  The other ingredients listed in many cleanse systems are herbs that are not FDA approved and have not been scientifically proven to do anything, let alone “cleanse” the body.  Everyone is different and we don’t know how our bodies will react to these untested/unresearched herbs so be very cautious when starting a detox diet.  If you want to try one of these cleanses, be sure to get your doctor’s approval!

Detox diets are NOT designed for those who have health conditions.  People who have diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders, other chronic medical conditions or are pregnant should avoid these regiments.

Detox diets are also NOT recommended for children or teens.  Kids and teens require nutrients, calories and protein to support their development.  Eliminating macro and micronutrients, even for a short period of time, may disrupt energy levels cause emotional imbalances.

Instead of following the newest trend or looking for a quick fix, try eating a wholesome diet all year round!  Make sure you eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  Stick to lean sources of protein.  Drink lots of water.  And try to avoid processed foods as much as possible.  If you are feeling run-down or tired, speak to your doctor.  Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for good health or weight loss!

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Before you set out for a day at the beach, it’s always smart to plan ahead and pack some yummy food to bring along.   Instead of bringing junk food, this year try something new and healthy. I love to freeze different foods the night before my beach escape.  Frozen fruits, like grapes and blueberries, are especially refreshing in the heat, taste great, and provide you with healthy nutrients. Freezing yogurt the night before can also make for a great beach snack. By the time you’re ready to eat, the yogurt won’t be frozen but will be nice and cold.  You can also bring along some granola or make your own trail mix. These snacks provide energy and can be added to the yogurt and fruit to make your own parfait. Try to avoid salty foods though, like salted pretzels or salted nuts. It’s important to stay hydrated and keep your energy level up when spending the day in the sun.  Salty foods will do just the opposite by dehydrating you.  Foods like fruit and veggies are high in water content which will provide you with a little extra hydration. Making sure you have lots of water is extremely important as well. For those who don’t love to drink plain water, bring along some flavor packets to keep everyone happy.  Drinking is the key to making it through a day at the beach and in the sun.

Plan on eating a meal at the beach? Don’t spend all your money on greasy cheeseburgers and pizza; instead, bring a healthy lunch that everyone will enjoy. Reduced fat peanut butter and cut up apple pieces on a whole-wheat sandwich will be popular, especially with the kids. Besides being easy to prepare, the peanut butter will provide some protein and the apples will add some extra water content. To make the sandwich even more enticing for the kids, try putting the peanut butter and apples in small whole-wheat tortillas to make eating more fun. It tastes extra-yummy when the peanut butter melts in the sun and gets all gooey.  Don’t forget extra napkins!  Feel free to add some of that granola or some banana. Making a normal sandwich into a wrap not only makes eating more exciting but also makes them cleaner; wraps are easier to hold so you don’t have to worry about your sandwich contents falling into the sand.

If your kids insist on eating at the snack bar, let them choose between a grilled chicken sandwich and grilled chicken fingers.  Most snack bars will be happy to substitute grilled chicken for the fried chicken on the kids’ menu.  Forego the fries and get baked potato chips instead.  If your kids are clamoring for the ice cream truck, have them choose ices over ice cream for a lot less fat.

With all these healthy choices, everyone will be satisfied and you are guaranteed to enjoy a great day at the beach. Your friends and family with thank you, as will your body. And don’t forget the sunscreen.

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It seems like every time you turn around there is a new drink in town.  Whether it’s a new sports drink or fruit juice, top companies are concocting some of the worlds’ top diet busters.  Unfortunately consumers are unaware of how quickly drinks can pack on the pounds.  Drinking calories is not nearly as satisfying as eating calories so you take in more calories without becoming full!

Most drinks contain “empty calories.”  In other words, they are void of minerals and/or nutrients.  Sugary sodas and frappuccino drinks definitely subtract years from your life and add pounds to your waistline: not a healthy combination.  Sports drinks and fruit juices are not any better and should be limited to athletes or an 8 oz glass a day, respectively.

Many parents of wary of giving kids drinks with artificial sweeteners.  Studies show, however, that they are completely safe for kids.  I give them to my own children with no hesitation.

Below are a list of drinks to try and drinks to avoid.  Feel free to use the list to help you navigate the beverage world!

Try These Drinks

1.      Smart Water or other bottled water
2.      Vitamin Water Zero
3.      Crystal Light
4.      Unsweetened Iced Tea
5.      Fuze Slenderize
6.      G2
7.      Seltzer, Flavored or Original
8.      Flavored Water
9.      Sparkling Water

Avoid These Drinks

1.      Iced Tea, Any Type with Sugar
2.      Energy Drinks (Red Bull, Rockstar, etc)
3.      Coffee Drinks made with Whole Milk
4.      Frappucino
5.      Any type of regular soda
6.      Fruit Punch
7.      Lemonade
8.      Gatorade, Powerade, Fuze, or any Sports Drink
9.      Hot Chocolate
10.  Vitamin Water

One important tip: Don’t forget to look at the serving size!

When looking for the perfect drink to quench your thirst, you must first look at the nutrition label and serving size.  If there is a load of sugar per 8 oz glass (most bottles are 16 oz) than steer clear of that drink!  Also, the frozen coffee drinks are loaded with whole milk, cream, and sugar; for a healthier alternative try making your own with skim milk, coffee, sugar substitute and low fat yogurt.  Just remember that we don’t recommend coffee drinks (even decaf!) for kids.

When all else fails drink good old H2O! If it’s too plain for you, add fruit or lemon slices for extra healthy flavor and antioxidants!

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While it may seem obvious that banning trans fats would make foods healthier, I did not think it would be so.  I feared that food manufacturers would simply switch to another type of fat that was just as unhealthy as the trans fats.  In fact, I have warned many a patient, “If it looks unhealthy, chances are it is unhealthy regardless of what the packaging claims.”  And while I still stand by that advice, it seems as if some (but not all!) food manufacturers have found a healthier type of fat.

All fats are not equal; different types of fat affect your body differently.  Some fats (saturated fats and trans fats) increase your ‘bad’ cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease.  Other fats (monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats) actually lower cholesterol and decrease the likelihood of heart disease.

Trans fats are the worst types of fats.  These fats increase LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol), increase total cholesterol and lower HDL (‘good’ cholesterol), causing a particularly increased risk of heart attack and stroke.  They are not found in nature; rather they are artificially made in laboratories.  Liquid oils are put through a chemical process to make them solid at room temperature.  Trans fats greatly increase the shelf life of a product and are extremely inexpensive to produce.  They are found in shortening, margarine, and most commercially prepared baked goods.  Most fried foods are deep fried in trans fats.

A group from Harvard looked at 83 foods that had been reformulated since 2006, when the government required food labels to list the amount of trans fat in packaged products.  At that time, food producers scrambled to find a cheap replacement.  The mission was to find a fat that was inexpensive yet still tasted good and had a pleasing texture.

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, from Harvard, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest looked at the current fat content of both packaged foods and restaurant offerings.   Researchers used information from the FDA databases, nutrition labels, and industry brochures.  According to a letter published in a recent New England Journal of Medicine, nearly all of the foods were free or mostly free of trans fat and many companies did not increase their saturated fat content when they cut out the trans fats.  65 percent of supermarket products and 90 percent of restaurant fare contained saturated fat levels that were lower, unchanged or only slightly higher than before.

According to the study, a large order of McDonald’s French fries had a favorable makeover.   Trans fat dropped from 7 1/4 grams to zero; saturated fat went from 5 1/2 grams to 3 1/2 grams.  Gorton’s Crunchy Golden Fish Sticks also did well.  Trans fat went from 3 grams per serving to zero; saturated fat unchanged at 4 grams.   Entenmann’s Rich Frosted Donut, however, is an example of a company removing trans fat without increasing the healthiness of the food!  While trans fat dropped from 5 grams to zero, saturated fat more than doubled from 5 grams to 13 grams.

Entenmann’s Rich Frosted Donut is just one example.  “Just because trans fat is gone from gluttonous foods doesn’t mean they’re healthy”, said Dr. David Heber, who heads the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.  “Trans fat or not, a doughnut is still a doughnut. Even Homer Simpson will back me up on that,” said Heber, who had no connection with the research.

So it seems as if my advice still holds.  Do not eat something without knowing what is in it.  Make sure you check nutrition labels and limit your intake of trans fat and saturated fat.  And, finally, remember my sage advice: If it looks unhealthy, it probably is unhealthy.  Pick something else!

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Here are a few suggestions to help make the most out of your child’s camp experience:

1. Make sure the camp is accredited by the ACA (American Camp Association).  It is the best evidence parents have of a camp’s commitment to a safe and nurturing environment for their children. This voluntary accreditation guarantees parents that camp practices have been measured against national standards and go a step beyond basic licensing requirements.
2. Speak to the camp administration regarding their food resources and snack-time availability.  Ensure their food suppliers have a high-quality reputation and encourage a break be made for a snack time if there is not any.
3. Talk to the camp nutrition staff (if there is one) and ask them what types of meals are served.  Remember, you want fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats being served to your child on a daily basis.
4. Does the camp have any nutrition guidelines?  If so, what are they? Ask to speak with the camp official who is in charge of the menu.
5. If your child is attending a day camp, you may want to ask if children can bring their own lunches and snacks; by doing this you can control the nutritional value of the meal.

Focus on a healthy lifestyle all year round!  Months and months of health food choices during school cannot afford to be offset by unhealthy food choices made in the summer.   It is important that children are served well-balanced and healthful meals at summer camps not only to maintain their weight loss but to remain fit and active.  Become an advocate for your child and demand that healthy meals are served at camp.  Do not be afraid to ask questions concerning the nutritional value of meals being served to your child; summer camps want to provide special experiences for your children so they should be happy to help you in any way possible.

Top 10 Snacks for Camp-Go-ers!

1. Hummus with fresh carrots, celery and peppers for dipping.
2. Peanut butter spread on rice cakes.
3. 2 cups of air-popped popcorn.
4. Trail mix made of low fat and low sugar granola, assorted nuts, seeds, raisins and craisins.
5. Non-fat plain yogurt topped with fresh berries.
6. 1 cup of edamame.
7. Apple slices and low fat string cheese.
8. 1 small whole wheat pita stuffed with 2 turkey slices, spinach leaves and fat-free cheese.
9. Baked sweet potato chips.
10. Your favorite flavor Fiber One bar.

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What is Organic?

Use of the term Organic is monitored by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP uses the word “Organic” to mean that a food or produce is grown or raised without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, in an area that is not contaminated by sewage, and does not involve genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation[1]. “Organic” meat means that the animals are not raised with or given antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA NOP has created three categories of organic. 100% Organic is a top grade Organic product and all ingredients in the product are made according to the USDA organic farming standards. The second category is labeled simply as Organic which means that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.  The third category is “Made with Organic Ingredients” which signifies that at least 70% of ingredients are made according to USDA’s organic standards without any genetically modified organisms.

Don’t get tricked!!! Products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients may still have labels boasting about their few organic components; this does not mean that the product is considered an organic product!!

Look for the Seal The USDA Organic seal assures buyers that the product comes from a manufacturer or farm that has an Organic-certified program and system plan and that all records of product production are verified in accordance to that plant. Manufacturers and farms that produce food that hold this seal are inspected annually unannounced to ensure standards are met and maintained.

Why Buy Organic??

Pesticides belong to a group of chemicals intended to kill living organisms and are intended to be toxic material. Consuming small amounts of pesticides each day may lead to a build-up of these toxic materials in the body. Pesticides in and on food have been linked to a variety of health problems including skin, eye, and lung irritation, cancers, nervous system side effects, and changes in hormone levels[2]. Organic produce is grown to be “earth friendly”, without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Although some foods nutritional content does not change depending on whether the food is organic or not, the presence of pesticides does!!!

What to buy Organic

According to the Environmental Working Group, the most contaminated foods are peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes; buy these fruits organic! Of the vegetables: celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are best to buy organic because these vegetables retain the most pesticides[3]

Naturally lower in Pesticides

The vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides are onions, sweet corn, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, eggplant and sweet potatoes. Lower pesticide containing fruits include avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, domestic cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit and honeydew.

For a complete list of pesticide content for fruits and vegetables go to www.foodnews.org

Your  Shopping List for Organic Foods:

Buy these Organic  (15 Listed from most pesticide-containing to least)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/ Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatos
12. Imported Grapes
13. Lettuce
14. Imported Blueberries
15. Carrots

For a complete List visit www.foodnews.org

[2] http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/pest.htm

[3] www.foodnews.org

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What child doesn’t love to eat a bag of popcorn, licking the excess salt off of each finger?  Many of the foods we love contain large amounts of sodium.  Foods with lower levels of sodium often taste bland.  But are we once again sabotaging our health for taste?  (Yes!)  And should the government help save the public’s health by mandating decreased levels of salt in the foods American’s consume? (Yes!)

According to a new statement from the Food and Drug Administration, Americans are eating way too much salt.  The FDA has called for the government to impose stricter regulations on how much salt food products can contain.  Unfortunately, the government has no plans to institute these suggestions.  Instead, the FDA must rely on voluntary salt reductions from food manufacturers.  To date, this approach has not worked very well.

How much salt are we eating?  The average American eats 1.5 teaspoons of salt a day, more than double the recommended amount.  In fact, this amount of salt increases the risk for high blood pressure, strokes, and other medical problems.  Don’t think that you are safe by simply forgoing the salt shaker!  Putting salt on foods only adds insult to injury.  Large amounts of salt are hidden in most processed foods and restaurant meals.

Current government guidelines call for a maximum daily sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams.  Health problems appear when intake is above this number.  These new statements suggest a recommended maximum daily sodium intake of 1,500 mg a day (and less for adults over age 50).  It seems we pay no attention to these guidelines as the average consumption of sodium is more than 3,400 mg a day.  Apparently, simply knowing that one’s diet is not healthy is not enough to convince the average American to change his habits.

Rather than calling for a drastic reduction in added sodium, researchers are suggesting a gradual change so the country’s taste buds can adapt and the food industry has time to look for tasty, but healthier, alternatives.  Their proposed regulations would ease both food producers and consumers into a healthier way of eating by setting maximum sodium levels for different foods in a stepwise rollback set over a period of years.  The final goal is to decrease salt consumption by 0.5 teaspoons per day.

Government officials claim that writing new laws to set limits on sodium levels would take much longer than working with food executives on voluntary reductions.  Food executives, however, argue that there are no tasty ways to decrease sodium levels.  But brand-to-brand differences in the same foods suggest that’s not so.

The Institute of Medicine, in a statement given this Tuesday, reported that the food industry has made very little progress in voluntarily reducing sodium.  What a surprise!  You mean companies haven’t been willing to spend large amounts of money to produce a product that, while healthier, will not taste quite as good?  Shocking.  How can a plan based solely on the good nature of food industry executives not succeed?

Salt leads to real health problems.  One in three U.S. adults suffers from high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure.  The American Medical Association predicts that 150,000 lives could be saved each year, simply by cutting the sodium levels in processed and restaurant foods in half.

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New research from the American Heart Association shows that secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to toddlers and obese children.  And its negative effects are broader than previously believed.

There are certain markers of vascular injury (possibly a precursor to heart disease) that indicate an increased risk of heart attack.  Obese children with exposure to secondhand smoke have significantly increased levels of these markers, indicating a likely increased risk for cardiovascular disease.  This new study also showed that obese children had twice the levels of these markers than normal-weight children.

This increased risk is particularly disturbing because overweight and obese children are already at increased risk of heart disease.  Exposure to secondhand smoke is just making a bad situation worse.  And with one out of every three children in our country overweight and obese, exposure to secondhand smoke could lead to a significant number of heart attacks.

As a pediatrician, I have heard every excuse from smoking parents.  “I never smoke around the kids.”  “I wash my hands before touching my children after smoking.”  “I go outside to smoke.”

But the unfortunate truth is that children are exposed to secondhand smoke in every one of the above situations.  Smoke remnants remain on clothes and in hair and continue to be harmful.  There is no way to fully eliminate all the toxins from smoking.  Besides not smoking, of course.

I know that giving up smoking is not easy to do.  Nicotine is addictive and smokers go into withdrawal when they quit.  But there are so many options out there to help smokers.  If you want to quit smoking, you can consider nicotine gum or a nicotine patch.  You can also speak to your physician about certain medications that can help.

The bottom line is that your children’s health is at risk, particularly if they are overweight or obese.  Don’t continue to make excuses or downplay the effect your smoking has on your kids.  Exposure to secondhand smoke is more dangerous than we previously thought.  The best way to ensure your child has a healthy future is to stop smoking today!

American Heart Association (2009, November 18). Secondhand smoke exposure worse for toddlers, obese children. ScienceDaily.

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