Posts Tagged ‘child diet’
Friday, October 9th, 2009
A healthy, well-stocked kitchen can be a recipe for success if you equip yourself with a master grocery list! Certain items for the freezer, fridge and pantry are all necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here is a list of my favorite kitchen staples that no kitchen should be without.
Freezer Ready
Frozen bags of fruits and vegetables are frozen at the peak of freshness to provide the optimal amount of nutrients your body needs. Make sure you buy the items with no added salt, sugars or sauces. Buy lean meats and fish in bulk and freeze in healthy portions to minimize cost and time during the week!
- Frozen Vegetables
Quick Tip: Buy in bulk at your local whole-sale market to save some money.
- Frozen Fruits
Quick Tip: Mix frozen fruits with ice cold non-fat milk for a mid-day treat!
- Protein
Healthy Protein Options: Lean chicken breast, lean steak, frozen large bags of shrimp, salmon or any type of white fish (all to be bought at a wholesale supermarket)
Fridge Ready
Stock your fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. In season fruits and vegetables generally cost less and taste better! Dairy items are also of utmost importance for your body because they contain Vitamin D and Calcium which help maintain bone health. Eggs are healthy because they provide your body with protein needed to maintain strong muscles.
- Portable fruits
Options: Apples, blueberries, pears, oranges, grapes
- Low-fat or non-fat dairy items- yogurt and cheese
Yogurt Options: Look for plain yogurt with no artificial sweeteners or plain Greek yogurt
Cheese Options: Part-skim mozzarella string cheese sticks or low fat cheese wedges, like Baby-Bell Swiss Cheese.
- Eggs
Simple Ideas: Buy eggs to make omelets or scrambled eggs. Boil an egg for a simple snack option. Scramble an egg with egg whites for extra protein and no additional fat!
Pantry Ready
Items for your pantry are important because they can stay fresh for a long time. Usually canned good can be found on sale so do not be afraid to buy many canned items at once!
- Beans
Simple Ideas: Beans can be added to soups and stews easily and are a vegetarian protein option. Just be sure to rinse and drain the beans before adding to a recipe because sometimes there is a lot of added salt packed in the cans that you do not need.
Healthy Tip: pair any bean (cannellini, black, kidney, lentil) with brown rice for a healthy side dish!
- Tuna
Simple Ideas: Buy tuna packed in water and add to pasta dishes or salads. Remember it is important to eat protein at every main meal and tuna is ready to go at any time, in no time at all!
- Whole Wheat Pasta/Bread
Healthy Tip: Always buy whole wheat pasta and bread for your family because they are excellent sources of fiber; fiber helps keep you full for a long period of time.
- Low-Sodium Stocks
Healthy Tip: Stock up on stocks! Just make sure they are low sodium and non-fat.
Simple Idea: Use the stocks to make a quick batch of vegetable or chicken soup!
Smart Supermarket Strategies for a Healthy Family
- Shop mostly on the perimeter of the store:
- Steer clear of the middle isles when shopping at the grocery store because the middle aisles contain all the processed foods. The perimeter of the store contains all the fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
- Make a grocery list for the middle isles: stick with canned vegetables, beans, whole wheat pasta/bread and oatmeal.
- Make a list and only shop for items on the list:
- You will save money and time by avoiding those unnecessary impulse buys.
- Shop on a full stomach:
- If you shop on an empty stomach, you are more likely to grab anything that looks good. Eat before you go so you are less likely to put unhealthy foods in your shopping cart.
- Go grocery shopping without the kids:
- Avoid buying the sugary snacks with the “cool” cartoons on the box; they are expensive and bad for your children’s overall health.
- Shop in a wholesale supermarket:
- Items bought in bulk are generally less costly for more food!
Stretch Recipes and your Budget:
Try to cook big batches of soups, stews, and pasta sauces during the weekends and freeze for quick and easy, weeknight meals. You can also make extra portions of meals during the week and store for later use. Buy high cost items like meats in a wholesale supermarket and freeze healthy portion sizes for during the week.
The key to a healthy lifestyle is to keep healthy foods in your house; whether it is for a snack or a meal. Remember to always enjoy a variety of healthy foods in moderation while keeping a few go-to snacks and/or meals handy for those extra busy days!
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Tags: child diet, Child Obesity, child weight gain, diet, exercise, mothers, obese baby, obese child, obese toddler, obesity, overweight child, overweight mother, overweight parent, overweight toddler, overweight woman, parenting, weight gain, weight loss
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
My four year old daughter took a ballet dancing class today. It was adorable. All the girls stood in their shiny leotards and soft ballet skirts, twirling around and smiling. All except for one, that is. There was one girl who looked very different from the others. Her face was round, her arms were pudgy, and her belly was, well, protruding. Needless to say, she did not have a smile on her face. Immediately, my heart went out to her.
During the class, this girl’s mother came over to speak to me. “I understand you work with overweight kids,” she told me. “Yes, I do.” “I think I need help,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons I enrolled her in this class. I want her to move around a bit. She usually prefers to sit down and watch TV. I am so glad she is getting some exercise.”
While her mother was right in suggesting a more active after-school activity, I couldn’t help but think that the girls were getting very little movement in the class. Because it is such a beginner’s class, they were mostly learning moves and practicing them once or twice. Nobody in the class broke a sweat or got out of breath. In other words, you couldn’t consider this an “exercise” class. But it definitely is better than watching TV.
But I got where the mom was coming from. There are so few activities for kids that give them the kind of vigorous exercise recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We really need more outlets for our children to exercise. But that’s another blog in itself…
So- back to dance class. As the girls were let out, I noticed that they were each holding a piece of chocolate! What?? Why?? That small piece of chocolate contained many more calories than what they burned through the class. What was the point of giving out chocolate after a dance class? The fact the the class is held in a gym just makes it more ridiculous.
I was livid. Why must everything come back to chocolate? Does a child need to be rewarded for a minimum amount of exercise? Will our kids expect to eat chocolate every time they break a sweat? Isn’t this defeating the purpose? What’s wrong with giving out stickers, like they had done the previous weeks?
I know that the teacher was trying to be nice. And I know my parents are trying to be nice when they take my kids for sundaes. And, hey, even I am trying to be nice when I take my kids for frozen yogurt. But ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We can not start rewarding exercise with chocolate. It is absolutely unacceptable. Our good intentions, special treats, and fattening rewards are only making our kids heavier than ever! This has to end. You can bet I will be calling the dance class first thing tomorrow to complain.
I felt sick when I saw the look on the heavy girl’s mother’s face. Here she was making an effort to get her child healthy and it was completely sabotaged. She just looked at me and said, “It just isn’t easy…” And she is right.
What do you all think? Do you agree or disagree?
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Tags: child diet, Child Obesity, child weight gain, diet, exercise, mothers, obese baby, obese child, obese toddler, obesity, overweight child, overweight mother, overweight parent, overweight toddler, overweight woman, parenting, weight gain, weight loss
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Sunday, August 30th, 2009
It’s 1982 and I am seven years old, celebrating my second grade graduation with my friends, my family, and an eight scoop hot fudge sundae from Swensen’s. This was very unusual for my family because we always celebrated at Friendly’s. But in the spirit of camaraderie, we made an exception and indulged in Swensen’s with the rest of my class.
I have celebrated every momentous occasion in my life, good or bad, at Friendly’s. Little League Champs? Let’s go to Friendly’s! Lost the soccer tournament? That’s okay, we’ll make it up at Friendly’s. In fact, I can still remember the look on my father’s face when, after my high school graduation, I asked him for the keys to the car so I could go out with my friends. He was crushed. “What? No Friendly’s?” And I looked at him in the way that teen girls look at their fathers and said, “Dad. I am way too old to celebrate with ice cream.”
Yet somehow, I found myself sitting at Friendly’s today for the third time in one month. How did this happen? I mean, I am a child obesity specialist. I should know better. But it really wasn’t my fault. I would never take my kids to Friendly’s unless it were for some, um, momentous occasion.
And this month has been crazy. It started with my daughter’s fourth birthday. Of course we celebrate birthdays at Friendly’s. Not the real party but a private celebration afterwards. And then I had to have my wisdom teeth pulled out. And everybody knows that you are allowed to indulge in ice cream when you have oral surgery (like when your tonsils are taken out. Isn’t the same thing true for wisdom teeth?) And then my s0n broke his arm. And I mean, he really broke his arm. I suddenly, unconsciously, found myself comforting him with promises of ice cream sundaes.
My mother-in-law called me at work to tell me that Zachary had fallen off the monkey bars. She thought his wrist looked really bad so I told her to jump in the car and bring him to an orthopedist near me. I would meet them at the office. She handed Zachary the phone and I heard him weeping. “Oh honey,” I said. “Mommy is going to be with you soon. Then the doctor will make you feel better and we will all go to Friendly’s.” Huh? Where did that come from? It just popped out of my mouth.
My promises got more descriptive as his injury got worse. When he arrived at the orthopedist and I first saw his arm, I wanted to pass out. It looked really bad. The doctors rushed him in and the first thing the nurse’s aide did was give him a lollipop. (It’s got to be human instinct!)
As we made our way from the doctor’s office to the hospital where he needed a procedure to realign his bone, I kissed his cheeks, stroked his hair, and said, “When this is over I am going to get you the biggest hot fudge sundae. Just wait and see how big this sundae is going to be.”
As he woke up from the sedation, I told him that “it’s almost ice cream sundae time”.
We didn’t leave the hospital until late at night and we all fell right asleep. A day later, tylenol with codeine was helping Zachary’s pain and he was starting to look like himself again. “Mommy,” he said. “Didn’t you promise me Friendly’s?”
So now you understand why I was at Friendly’s for the third time this month. How else could I celebrate a birthday, ease the pain of a sore tooth, and nurse my son back to health?
Why is it that I immediately jump to ice cream? It must be because that was how I was raised. And that was how my parents were raised. But is that how I want to raise my children?
Clearly, it is not. I don’t want them to use food to heal their wounds or mark their triumphs. It is going to take a great effort for me to break this cycle. I’ve been trying to think of other ways I could have marked these momentous life occasions. A trip to Chuck E Cheese or the children’s museum? A special privilege like a later bedtime or a new toy? I really don’t have the answer but I will keep looking for a healthier substitution and I hope you will too.
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Tags: celebrations, child diet, Child Obesity, child weight gain, diet, exercise, ice cream, mothers, obese baby, obese child, obese toddler, obesity, overweight child, overweight mother, overweight parent, overweight toddler, overweight woman, parenting, rewards, sundaes, weight gain, weight loss
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Friday, August 21st, 2009
Having many friends and family members who are regulars at Yankee Stadium during baseball season gave me the idea to write about the various new improvements, both healthy and unhealthy, at the new Yankee Stadium. Don’t worry! The traditional ball park favorites are still there. You’ll still hear the shouts from the Peanut man, but now also from the Ice Cream man (selling pints of Turkey Hill Ice Cream; Original Vanilla 560 calories per pint).
Traditional favorites such as Carvel Ice Cream in baseball caps and Hebrew National hot dog stands can still be found around the stadium. A few of the interesting additions are a Boar’s Head made-to-order deli sandwich station, Johnny Rockets, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and a Japanese stand serving sushi and noodles in Chinese take-out containers.
The various food stands are now complying with NYC’s mandate to post caloric information on their menus. Although this does not stop many people from treating themselves at the ball game, it does increase awareness by 100%!
Another great advance is Melissa’s, a traditional “farmers market”, carrying fresh fruits and vegetables, with no wait guaranteed.
Most of the food, although it may seem healthy, is most assuredly NOT healthy. The New York Times Restaurants Review of Yankee Stadium suggests trying “the best single food item in the entire stadium” which is Lobel’s USDA dry-aged sliced-steak sandwich on a house-made bun, a very UNHEALTHY option!
The majority of the options on the menu are over 1,000 calories per serving! Here are a few of the calorie counts on ball park favorites.
New York Pretzel: 630 calories
Nathan’s Hot Dog: 320 calories
Regular cheese nachos: 1,500 calories Carvel Ice Cream Helmet Cups: 550-590 calories
Instead of these calorie dense snacks, try a snack from Melissa’s delicious fruit stand, or a sandwich, soup, or salad from Boar’s Head Deli. Another idea is to encourage kids to try the Kid’s Cart. Here you can find smaller sized hot dogs and PB&J sandwiches.
One of the most deceiving snacks is popcorn. At home, popcorn is an extremely healthy and filling snack. Do not be fooled; stadium popcorn is very unhealthy. At baseball parks (and movie theaters), popcorn often has over 2,000 calories, due to the ridiculous serving size, the oil in which it is fried, and the added butter. At Yankee Stadium, a Jumbo Popcorn is 1,484 calories and a Souvenir bucket of popcorn is 2,473 calories. Yikes!
Although the majority of the food offered at the new Yankee stadium is very high in calories, the posting of the caloric and improvements makes it easier for you and your family to make healthy choices when entering the ball park.
~ The Bottom Line ~
The healthiest options you can choose at the ball park for you and your family are:
· Kozy Shack pudding from the Kids Kart: 140 calories
· Chef salad with turkey and cheddar: 241 calories
· California sushi roll: 255 calories
· Veggie sushi roll: 160 calories
· Edamame: 100 calories
· Nathan’s natural casing hot dog: 297 calories
· Any selection from Melissa’s Farmers Market Stand
~ What might surprise you ~
· Baked ziti: 720 calories
· Chicken tenders and fries: 810 calories
· Chicken parmesan sub: 819 calories
· Tofu pan fried noodle bowl: 600 calories
· Onion rings: 790 calories
· Moe’s nachos: 880 calories
· Nathan’s crinkle-cut fries 1236 calories
· Bazzini peanuts: 1190 calories
Hopefully now you’ll think twice about what you and your family snack on during the game. A great way to keep your body (and your wallet) healthy at the ballpark is to pack your own snacks. This way, you’ll know in advance that you’re guaranteed a healthy and enjoyable snack for between innings.
Before the game, you should plan which snack you’re going to indulge in using this guide.
Always choose the smaller portion size for all treats at the ball park. The foot-long Hebrew National hot dog is 510 calories; you can save about 200 calories by having the regular sized one.
Lastly, don’t rush to a decision. Because of the numerous options and vendors spread across the stadium, you do not have to worry about long lines. This gives you more time to think about what you and you’re family are eating, and make the healthiest and smartest choice possible.
Check out this link to the ball park for more healthy food choices!
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Tags: ball game, baseball, child diet, Child Obesity, child weight gain, diet, exercise, mothers, obese baby, obese child, obese toddler, obesity, overweight child, overweight mother, overweight parent, overweight toddler, overweight woman, parenting, stadium, weight gain, weight loss
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Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
I just read about an interesting new study on Medical News Online. The study was performed at Kansas State University and evaluated what children think about other kids with “undesirable characteristics, such as being overweight or aggressive.” The researches also looked at how children treat kids with these attributes.
Obviously, as a child obesity doctor, I was very interested to hear what they had to say. Past studies have shown that children are prejudiced against overweight kids. In fact, prior studies have determined that kids would rather be friends with children with physical handicaps (such as using a wheelchair or missing a limb) than with an overweight child.
But now, one out of every three kids in our country is overweight or obese. Unfortunately, there is no longer anything unusual about an overweight child. Does this change how overweight children are perceived by their peers?
No. It seems that it doesn’t matter that so many kids are now overweight. Overweight children are still discriminated against by their peers.
A major finding of this study was that children discriminate against kids with undesirable characteristics that they believe their peers have the ability to control. For example, they disliked kids with aggressive behavior and overweight children because they felt that these children are responsible for the characteristic and should be able to change it. They did not, however, look down on children with severe illnesses, such as chronic asthma. They felt that the asthmatic child could not help being asthmatic and they didn’t hold it against him.
Not only did the kids say they disliked the aggressive and obese students, they also said that they were more likely to pick on them. Boys tended to respond more negatively to kids with undesirable characteristics than girls. The study was done on third-graders and sixth-graders. Each child filled out a questionnaire with descriptions of hypothetical peers such as a poor student, a nonathletic student, an obese student, an aggressive student, a shy student, an asthmatic student, and a student with ADHD. The aggressive student was the most unappealing, followed closely by the obese student. The kids were most sympathetic towards the asthmatic student.
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Tags: bullying, child bullying, child diet, Child Obesity, child weight gain, diet, discrimination, exercise, fat discrimination, mothers, obese baby, obese child, obese toddler, obesity, overweight child, overweight mother, overweight parent, overweight toddler, overweight woman, parenting, picked on, weight discrimination, weight gain, weight loss
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
Join Dr. Dolgoff at #kidsweigh! #kidsweigh is a weekly twitter discussion about child nutrition and weight issues. You are welcome to bring questions concerning your own kids or just learn more about the weekly topic.
This week’s topic: Healthy Italian Food. Learn what to order for your kids at an Italian restaurant! Find out how pizza can be healthy. Understand which foods should be avoided. Bon Apetit!
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Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Children today drink twice as much soda as they did 20 years ago, averaging as much as 20 ounces a day! A large soda not only provides tons of calories and sugar but it also includes at least 100 mg of caffeine. Many parents wouldn’t dream of giving their kids a cup of coffee yet routinely offer them soda, which contains caffeine as well. We also see many families hitting the local café or Starbucks for a café latte or mocha frappuccino loaded with the burst of ‘energy’ we call caffeine.
The truth is, caffeine is everywhere but it is wise to keep kids’ consumption of caffeine to a minimum.
How caffeine affects kids:
Caffeine is a stimulant and a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. Caffeine can also be made artificially. Caffeine is considered a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system. The routine side is a feeling of alertness, but when taken in excess side effects may include:
1) Headaches
2) Difficulty concentrating
3) Jitteriness
4) Nervousness
5) Upset stomach
6) Difficulty sleeping
7) Increased heart rate
8) Increased blood pressure
9) Slight dehydration
10) Anxiety
11) Irritability
12) Muscle tremors
13) Nausea
14) Diarrhea
15) Shortened attention span
16) Increased risk of heart problems
Because caffeine’s effects are dependent on body weight, it does not take a lot of caffeine to produce side effects, especially for younger children. Younger kids are more also sensitive to caffeine because they haven’t been exposed to it as much as older kids or adults and have not yet developed a tolerance to its effects.
Beware of withdrawal:
If you decide to cut caffeine out of your diet all together don’t be surprised if you feel withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, and irritability, especially if you are used to consuming a lot. When I was in medical school, I relied on coffee to get me through my exams. Every vacation, I wound up in bed with severe headaches. I finally realized that I was suffering from caffeine withdrawal because I didn’t need the caffeine to give me energy to study and so I wasn’t drinking my usual amount of caffeine! I gave up caffeine and my headaches never returned.
Caffeine takes up to 6 hours to be excreted from the body through the urine, so side effects may last until removed from the body.
More reasons to limit kids’ caffeine consumption:
- Obesity: Kids who consume one or more 12-ounce sweetened soft drink per day are 60% more likely to be obese.
- Lack of nutrients: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with empty calories and are high in sugar, but lack the nutrients kids need when growing. More kids are choosing soda over milk now days and are missing out on calcium which helps build bones and teeth.
- Tooth Decay: Drinking unhealthy drinks like sweetened beverages can lead to dental cavities from the high sugar content and can lead to erosion of the enamel from the high acidity content.
- ADHD: Large doses of caffeine can impact the attention span for children, especially for those diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD).
Recommendations:
The United States has not developed guidelines for caffeine intake because many experts believe because there is not enough data to make any conclusive recommendations. The Canadian guidelines recommend that children 6 and under have no more than 45 milligrams of caffeine per day; 10 to 12 year olds have no more than 85 milligrams per day and adults have no more than 300 milligrams per day.
Foods and Beverages with Caffeine
Here are some sources of caffeine to compare:
| ITEM |
AMOUNT |
CAFFEINE CONTENT |
| BREWED COFFEE |
5 OUNCES |
115 mg |
| COCA BEVERAGE |
5 OUNCES |
4 mg |
| COCA-COLA |
12 OUNCES |
34 mg |
| COFFEE |
8 OUNCES |
115 mg |
| COLD RELIEF MEDICINE |
1 TABLET |
30 mg |
| CHOCOLATE MILK |
8 OUNCES |
5 mg |
| DARK CHOCOLATE |
1 OUNCES |
20 mg |
| DECAF COFFEE |
6 OUNCES |
3-5 mg |
| DIET COKE |
12 OUNCES |
45 mg |
| DUNKIN DONUTS |
16 OUNCE |
206 mg |
| ESPRESSO |
2 OUNCES |
100 mg |
| ICED TEA |
12 OUNCES |
70 mg |
| JOLT SOFT DRINK |
12 OUNCES |
71.2 mg |
| MILK CHOCOLATE |
1 OUNCE |
6 mg |
| MOUNTAIN DEW |
12 OUNCES |
55 mg |
| NO-DOZ |
1 TABLET |
100 mg |
| RED BULL |
8.3 OUNCES |
80 mg |
| SNICKERS |
1 BAR |
60 mg |
| STARBUCKS COFFEE |
16 OUNCE |
320 mg |
| STARBUCKS CHAI TEA LATTE |
16 OUNCE |
100 mg |
| TEA, BLACK |
6 OUNCES |
70 mg |
| TEA, GREEN |
6 OUNCES |
35 mg |
| 7-UP |
12 OUNCES |
0 mg |
There is no reason for children to drink or consume caffeinated products. One of the best ways to cut caffeine out of the diet is by not offering it at all. Eliminate soda all together and instead offer water, skim milk, or flavored seltzer. For an occasional treat try offering soda or tea but make sure it is decaffeinated.
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Tags: caffeine, child diet, child health, child nutrition, diet, health, nutrition, parenting
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Monday, June 29th, 2009
Healthy Birthday Snack Ideas:
A child’s school birthday celebration should be centered around the child; instead, it has become centered around cupcakes. Parents bring in these unhealthy treats and kids rejoice. Yet with the current child obesity crisis, many are rethinking this caloric tradition. In response, I have created this list of healthy birthday school celebrations. Enjoy them! And please, let me know if you have any additional suggestions.
Non-Food Options:
1) Allow extra recess time in honor of each student’s birthday and allow the birthday child to choose an active activity or game. The birthday student’s parents are welcome to participate.
2) Craft project: Bring in supplies so each student can make a birthday card for the birthday child.
3) Craft project: Decorate a balloon with stickers and glitter. Each child gets to take their creation home.
4) Bring in a large balloon bouquet and let each child pick a balloon to take home.
5) Parent reads selected book of choice to class.
6) Create a birthday book for child; each classmate creates a special page about the birthday child.
7) Provide goodie bags with stickers, pencils, pens, school supplies, crayons, noise makers etc.
8) Arrange a classroom scavenger hunt with small non-food gifts for each child.
9) Decorate a birthday crown.
10) Bring in coloring books for each student. Have each child color a page from their book and then hang up the masterpieces and have a ‘gallery showing’.
11) Bring in small fun activity gifts for the students, i.e. jump ropes, mini-Frisbees, waffle balls. Allow some time for the students to play with their new gift.
12) Give each child elastic bracelets with birthday child’s name stamped on it.
Healthy (Or At Least Healthier) Food Options:
1) ‘Make your own’ yogurt parfait with fat-free yogurt, low-fat granola, and fresh berries.
2) Fruit Kebobs: Cut fruit into interesting shapes and let children put the fruit onto skewers with a few marshmallows.
3) Frozen Banana Krispie Treats: Cut a banana in half. Put a Popsicle stick in the banana and then smear with low-fat vanilla yogurt. Roll in rice krispies, freeze.
4) Fresh fruit topped with low-fat whipped cream.
5) Waffle topped with fruit and chocolate syrup.
6) Low-fat pudding with low-fat whipped cream.
7) Frozen fruit bars.
8) Create a trail mix: Let each child choose their own mixture of whole grain pretzels, multi-grain chex, and dried fruit.
9) Yogurt covered raisins.
10) Apples slices dipped in caramel dipping sauce.
11) Baked apples with cinnamon.
12) Sorbet.
13) Orange frizzes: Mix chilled orange juice with carbonated water and a scoop of sorbet.
14) One scoop of low-fat ice cream with sprinkles.
15) Exotic fruit of choice.
16) Jell-o topped with low-fat whipped cream.
17) Baked tortilla chips with salsa.
18) Homemade low-fat rice krispie treats.
19) Yogurt covered pretzels.
20) Baked potato chips.
21) Low-fat pita with hummus.
22) Baked tortilla with guacamole.
23) One scoop of fat free ice cream in a wafer cone.
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Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Last week, there was an article in the NY Times about Meme Roth and her fight with her children’s school concerning school birthday parties and cupcakes.
What sets her off is the junk food served on special occasions: the cupcakes that come out for every birthday, the doughnuts her children were once given in gym, the sugary “Fun-Dip” packets that some parent provided the whole class on Valentine’s Day.
“I thought I was sending my kid to P.S. 9, not Chuck E. Cheese,” Ms. Roth, a trim, impassioned 40-year-old from Atlanta, said in an interview. “Is there or is there not an obesity and diabetes epidemic in this country?”
Although I agree with Ms. Roth’s concern, the article outlines the outlandish strategies and infantile behaviour she uses to get her point across. For the complete article, click here.
Those who know me understand that this is my pet issue. I have seen too many children crying because they are trying to eat healthy but are surrounded by so many temptations. In my opinion, schools should be a safe haven. So I drafted a letter to the NY Times and surprising, it was printed in Saturday’s paper! Here is my article below:
TAKING SIDES
IN THE
CUPCAKE WARS
Published: June 19, 2009
Esther Pearl Watson
Re “Mother’s Fight Against Junk Food Puts a School on Edge,” by Susan Dominus (Big City column, June 16):
As a pediatrician and a child weight loss specialist, I am conflicted about this article. MeMe Roth, the mother “driven mad” by junk food, may not use the best tactics, but her point is right. We are in the midst of a child obesity epidemic. One out of every three children in our country is either overweight or obese. Our schools should be a safe haven for our children.
I have overweight children crying in my office on a daily basis because they are trying to eat well but are confronted with temptations at school. I do believe in all foods in moderation. But our children have plenty of exposure to unhealthy foods outside of school.
In a typical classroom of 26 children, there are up to 26 days of birthday cupcakes to contend with. Then you add in celebrations for holidays, and many classes have a party every week. There are many healthy birthday options, and we can use them to celebrate our children’s birthdays without sacrificing their health.
Joanna Dolgoff
New York, June 16, 2009
I am interested in hearing your thoughts about cupcakes and school birthday parties. I know I am in the minority. I agree that it is perfectly fine for a child to have a cupcake every now and then. The problem is that it becomes more than now and then. Each child’s birthday usually results in two cupcakes- one at the school party and one at the out-0f-school party. Not to mention all the junk food that is thrown at our kids from everywhere else. Is it really necessary to add another temptation? Can’t we celebrate a birthday without eating unhealthy fare?
Next week: my suggestions for healthy birthday celebrations.
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Posted in Child Obesity, nutrition | 7 Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Congratulations! Your toddler is now old enough to sit in a “big boy” chair. You no longer need to strap him into a high chair. I bet you think dining out will now be much easier! Unfortunately, the difficulties are just beginning. Your toddler will now be able to explore restaurants without restraints. How can you get your child to sit at the table with you instead of wandering around on his own? Read on for some tips.
1. Be consistent. Teach your child that she must sit with you at the dinner table every night, whether at home or at a restaurant. Be firm from the beginning and your child is much more likely to follow your rules. Once you set a precedent of allowing your child to wander away from the table, it becomes a difficult habit to break.
2. Do not force your child to eat. If your child isn’t hungry, you do not have to force him to eat. However, the family must sit together.
3. Bring activities. There is nothing wrong with allowing your child to sit and color at the dinner table. When dining out, come prepared with coloring books and crayons.
4. Engage your child in conversation. If the dinner conversation focuses solely on the stock market, your child will quickly tune out and become bored. Be sure to include all the kids in the conversation. Dinnertime is a great opportunity to find out what is going on in your child’s life.
5. Manage your expectations. Do not go out for a five-course meal and expect your toddler to sit still for the duration. Kids have short attention spans so plan your meals accordingly.
6. Use positive reinforcement. Offer your child some type of reward for sitting nicely at the table. Stickers will work wonders!
I would love to hear your suggestions! The best answer wins a pair of Sennheiser PMX 70 Sport Headphones. For more information on them, go to www.SennheiserUSA.com.
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Tags: child diet, child manners, child restaurants, diet, dining out with kids, eating out with kids, manners for kids, nutrition, parenting, restaurants
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