Kids and Obesity

Found this on a seemingly abandoned blog called the Really Useful Blog. Still want to make sure she gets credit for her work. Posted by Jamie, it has some interesting information she found on kids and obesity.Here it is in it's entirety.

It amazes me how many overweight children I see on a daily basis. I mean, what the heck is going on here?? 12-year-olds aren't meant to have huge bellies and double-chins. I've heard parents say that their chubby children will "grow out" of their "baby fat" in time, but several studies have shown that overweight children are very likely to become obese adults with a wide array of health problems.

If your kids are overweight and you want to help them slim down (and protect their health) here's a simple formula: Stop letting them eat junk food all day long, throw away their video games, get them involved in some form of physical activity/sport, and make a concerted effort to help them develop healthier habits.
Easy? Not really. Worth the time and effort? Definitely!!
Here's a great article with tips on how to help your children improve their diets...

10 Worst, 10 Best Foods for Kids!
By John McGran from eDiets.com

What's the trouble with kids today? Well, for starters, their diet stinks!

There's been a frightening rise in roly-poly rugrats. And studies show (as if they needed one for this "surprise" conclusion) heavy kids tend to grow into heavy adults!

By now you've probably heard the staggering statistic that 6 out of 10 Americans are overweight or obese. Mr. Bad Food is in this majority -- how about you?

Or more importantly, how about your children or grandchildren? Are they following in your footsteps? Many experts think so. They've basically told us to expect a future generation plagued with extra pounds and weight-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Out with the Bad...
This week I turned to my favorite internet search engine, Google.com, and did some fishing for info. I was hooked by an article that appears on the Parents.com website.

The column -- penned by registered dietitian Mindy Hermann -- opened my eyes. Hopefully it will provide you with some food for thought, too.

According to Mindy, the top 10 worst foods for kids are:

1. Chicken Nuggets! Any fast food that's breaded and fried is bursting with fat. Nuggets and their dipping sauces also have a lot of sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure in adults. Don't let your child's taste buds get used to salty foods.
2. Chips! Giving your child a handful of chips with lunch on occasion is fine, but keep in mind that potato chips, corn chips, and cheese puffs are mostly fat, sodium, and empty calories.
3. Doughnuts! Most are packed with artery-clogging saturated fat and trans-fatty acids. An average doughnut also has 200 to 300 calories and few other nutrients.
4. French Fries! It's unfortunate that fries are the most popular vegetable dish in the U.S. Kids love them, but they're extremely high in fat and have few vitamins. If your children clamor for them at the drive-thru, at least stick with a small portion.
5. Fruit Leather! Most rolled-up dried fruit has a dab of fruit, a teeny bit of fiber, few vitamins except those that have been added, and lots of sugar. Serve fresh fruit instead.
6. Hot Dogs! Regular dogs are high in fat (13 or more grams per serving), have lots of sodium and don't provide much protein for the calories. They're also a choking hazard for children 3 and under. Serve only occasionally, look for lower-fat brands (try turkey dogs), and cut into very small pieces for young children.
7. Juice-flavored Drinks! Most are no more than 10-percent juice; the rest is water and sweeteners. (Don't be fooled by 100-percent juices made from grape, pear or apple concentrate. Much of the nutrition has been removed from concentrates.)
8. Prepackaged Lunches! Sure, they're convenient, but they also tend to be high in saturated fat and sodium (more than 1,200 milligrams in some, about half the recommended daily max) and packed with sugary treats. Most also are nutritionally unbalanced, because they contain no fruits or vegetables.
9. Soda! American children drink more soft drinks today than ever. The average 12-ounce can of soda supplies almost 10 teaspoons of sugar, which can contribute to obesity and tooth decay. Kids who drink soda instead of milk are also shortchanging their bones of calcium and other nutrients.
10. Toaster Pastries! These contain lots of fat and not much fruit. Instead, make a piece of raisin toast for your child, and serve it with jam.-----------

Now that you know what not to feed your children, let’s discuss the 10 Healthiest Foods for Kids (as chosen by my guest contributor, author/nutritionist Leanne Ely).

She writes: After Mr. Bad Food himself gave you the lowdown on the Top 10 food baddies for kids, it seemed only fair that I develop a list of healthy choices. And who doesn't love a good top 10 list, anyway? Ask Dave… it's worked for him for years.

Before we get to the meat of the matter, here's a quick disclaimer: Allergies will prevent a normally healthy food from being a healthy food for any child who may have allergies. This is a general list, meant to offer help and inform when making food choices for your children without allergies. If you have any questions or concerns about food allergies, you may want to seek out your health-care provider for advice.

Also, other fruits and vegetables can easily fit into this list besides the ones mentioned -- these particular ones are highlighted for the reasons listed.

Top 10 Healthiest Foods for Kids

# Optimal Oatmeal: A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oatmeal offers quick energy for busy kids with its carb load and fiber count.
# Egg 'em On: Eggs are a great source of protein and a host of other nutrients, including the B vitamins, vitamin E and zinc to name a few. The American Heart Association's Guidelines have changed and an egg a day (for adults) is OK now. For kids? Well, they didn't say so use your own good judgment.
# Nuttin' Better: Nut butters are great fast foods for kids. Kids need the fat (it's a good fat if it doesn't have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein. And while peanuts can be problematic and even life threatening to allergic kids, other nut butters may be OK (but definitely check with your doctor first). Almond butter is a personal favorite.
# Culture Club: Kick your child's milk consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk and the cultures (check the label to make sure they're in there!) are very beneficial to good colon health... especially if your child has been on antibiotics. Watch it on the sugar content, though. A better idea is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit.
# Mmmm, Mmmm Melons!: My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Melons are not to be missed when they're plentiful and in season.
# Tree Cheers!: Kids like to call broccoli trees and sometimes you can get picky kids to eat trees rather than broccoli. Broccoli is one of the best vegetables for anyone, especially growing kids because of its calcium content and a whole host of other nutrients, such as potassium, beta-carotene, and B vitamins this vegetable contains.
# Terrific Tubers: Sweet potatoes contain 30mg beta-carotene per cup. It would take 23 cups of broccoli to get that same amount! And with 3 grams of fiber per serving, sweet potatoes deserve a place at the table.
# Protein Power: One size does not fit all when it comes to protein. The fact is growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you're going to give it to them can vary widely, according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes, beans (combined with a grain to make a complete protein), soy products like tofu, or meat, fish or poultry.
# The Whole Truth: The best nutrition is found in the whole grain. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Don't shortchange your kids with the white stuff.
# OJ is OK: Kids drink too much juice -- I mentioned that the last column. However, that doesn't mean they should never drink juice. Just don't give it to them in place of water. Orange juice is full of vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, folate and zinc. You can buy calcium-fortified orange juice, too -- it's great stuff in moderation.