Every day you see another
headline about the obesity epidemic in kids. One of the latest studies shows
that obese children face not only long-term risks, but also more immediate
ones. They're more likely to have problems such as asthma, learning
disabilities, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).1
Yet kids (and adults) are surrounded—on television,
on billboards, and online —by messages beckoning them to eat sugary, high-fat,
often empty-calorie foods. It can feel like an uphill battle to get kids to
make healthier choices—especially as they're heading back to school, and out of
earshot. Sure, you aren't going to win all the battles. But you can have a huge impact. Here are a few
important reminders:
1. Control the flow. What are you bringing
into the house (and what kinds of habits are you modeling)? Remember, you have
some control over this until your kid is old enough to shop solo. For now, you
have veto power. If you keep the junk out, it can't go in.2
2. Look at
labels. Of course, stocking up on healthy foods means you also need to
check labels.2 You might be surprised at what you find. That tub of
nonfat flavored yogurt you think is so healthy might be chockfull of
sugar—containing even more than the kids' cereal you long ago shunned.
3.
Go for staying power. Go for
whole-grain breads, tortillas, pretzels, or cereals. Mix almond butter and
celery, apples, or bananas. Try something new once in a while to broaden your
kid's tastes. Maybe roasted soy nuts will be a hit. Or, sweet red peppers
dipped in hummus. You'll never know unless you give it a try.2
4. Make it
easy. Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter or string cheese or bags of
low-sugar, whole-grain cereal within reach. Just don't make eating too easy. In
other words, restrict it to the kitchen or dining area. That can go a long way
toward limiting mindless snacking in front of the TV or computer screen.2
5. Watch the
sugar. Oh, yes, I know. That's a tough one. Maybe even your sweet tooth gets its way more often than not. But sugar may do
more than add extra pounds or cause tooth decay. New evidence links large
amounts of sugar—separate from other factors—to the diabetes epidemic.3
If you do nothing else, nix the sweetened drinks.
That includes sodas as well as fruit, energy, and sports drinks. Children who
drink them not only consume more calories. They are also more likely to eat
unhealthy foods.4 Keep milk and water on hand, instead of fruit
juice and sweetened drinks or flavored milk or drinkable yogurt.3
Along with these five healthy habits, don't forget
an insurance policy for your kids: vitamins. When you come into the store, I
can advise you about this.
Sources
1.
HealthDay:
"Obese Kids May Face Immediate Health Woes, Study Finds." Available
at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_133190.html
Accessed March 17, 2013.
2. Mayo Clinic:
"Healthy snacks for kids: 10 child-friendly tips." Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childrens-health/HQ00419/METHOD=print
Accessed March 17, 2013.
3. Basu S, Yoffe
P, Hills N, Lustig RH (2013) The Relationship of Sugar to Population-Level
Diabetes Prevalence: An Econometric Analysis of Repeated Cross-Sectional Data.
PLoS ONE 8(2): e57873. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057873. Available at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0057873
Accessed March 17, 2013.
4. HealthDay:
"Sweet Drinks Tied to Higher Calorie Consumption in Kids." Available
at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_134838.html
Accessed March 17, 2013.
5. FamilyDoctor.org:
"Kids: Passing on Health Habits to Your Children." Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/kids/eating-nutrition/healthy-eating/kids-passing-on-healthy-habits-to-your-children.printerview.all.html
Accessed March 17, 2013.
