Posts Tagged ‘diets for kids’
Friday, March 12th, 2010
We were starting to think that Vitamin D deficiency was a thing of the past. I mean, when was the last time you met someone with rickets? But a recent study in Pediatrics showed that over six million children in the United States do not get enough Vitamin D. That is one out of every five kids! It seems that Vitamin D deficiency is more common than we thought.
Vitamin D is an important vitamin! New studies are proving that vitamin D can help prevent many diseases such as cancer, depression, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disease. Other research has linked low Vitamin D levels to obesity; studies show that overweight individuals are much more likely to be Vitamin D deficient. It is not clear, however, whether increased body fat leads to Vitamin D deficiency or if low Vitamin D levels cause a person to gain weight. Is one responsible for the other? More research is needed in this area.
There are a few different ways to get vitamin D. Vitamin D may come from foods or vitamin supplements; vitamin D can also be made by the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays (UV light). Fortified foods are the main dietary sources of Vitamin D as few foods naturally contain it. Although milk is fortified with vitamin D, dairy products made from milk, such as cheese and ice creams, are generally not fortified with vitamin D. Fatty fish and fish oils are natural sources of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency is often missed because there are no real symptoms associated with it. Rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones) are the most common signs of vitamin D deficiency but there is no way for parents to tell if their child is suffering from these illnesses. The only way to prove that your child is vitamin D deficient is by completing a blood test which screens for a particular form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D).
Think that name sounds complicated? Unfortunately, many doctors do too. In fact, doctors often order the wrong blood test when assessing vitamin D levels. Be sure to ask for 25(OH) D blood test not 1, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D (aka calcitriol). With such complicated names, it is no wonder that such mistakes are made!
Vitamin D deficiency exists when 25(OH) D levels fall below 25 ng/mL. Levels may vary depending on time of year, direct sunlight exposure, skin color and vitamin D consumption. Levels should be between 50 – 80 ng/mL year-round for both children and adults.
As a doctor, I am finding more and more children with low levels of vitamin D, mainly because kids are spending less time in the sun. These days, toddlers are more often inside watching TV than playing outside. And if they are in the sun, they are lathered with sun block, which reflects the sun’s rays and decreases vitamin D formation. Obviously, sunscreen is important and should not be avoided! But it does lead to lower levels of vitamin D. Also, many toddlers do not get enough vitamin D to meet their needs since there are limited food sources of high vitamin D content.
The current recommendation is 400 IU per day in the form on of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). New studies are showing that higher levels may be needed to prevent the diseases discussed above. Many are now recommending 1,000 IU per day in the form of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). If your child doesn’t get this amount of vitamin D in his diet, you may want to consider a multivitamin that contains vitamin D.
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Tags: child diets, child nutrition, Child Obesity, diets for kids, milk, nutrition for kids, school lunch, Vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency, whole milk
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Friday, 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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Tags: child diets, child nutrition, Child Obesity, diets for kids, milk, milk in schools, nutrition for kids, school lunch, whole milk
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Friday, 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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Tags: Child Obesity, diet, dieting, diets for kids, obesity, overweight kids, overweight teens, weight loss, weight loss for kids
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Monday, 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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Tags: diet for kids, diets for kids, healthy diet, New Year's resolutions, nutrition for kids
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