MyPlate for Kids

Wondering how to make your child’s meals healthier? Make half their plate fruits and veggies.  Studies show that kids don’t eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetable, yet their consumption of sweetened beverages and high fat foods is too high.  To encourage kids to eat their veggies, it helps to make it a fun experience by involving them in the preparation and working on the presentation.  Throw frozen fruit pieces with low-fat yogurt or milk in a blender to make a delicious smoothie.  Create characters with decorated veggies and let your child name their meal.  Experiment with your cooking methods, just because your child doesn’t like steamed zucchini doesn’t mean they will not love it grilled.  And when all else fails, hide the stuff!  You can puree veggies and add them to tomato sauces for pastas or mix shredded veggies with cheese in a quesadilla; once the cheese melts it is hard to pull the healthy veggies out J.  You too can outsmart your kids!  

For more useful tips and information, check out Choose MyPlate Tip sheets at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet11KidFriendlyVeggiesAndFruits.pdf

Rethink Your Drink!

In 2009, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released a report titled “Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California.”  The report cited a study that provided scientific evidence of a direct contribution of sugar-sweetened beverages to the California’s $41 billion obesity epidemic.  Findings reported that 41 percent of children, 62 percent of adolescents, and 24 percent of adults drink at least one soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages every day, which increased the risk of becoming obese.  For more information, check out the study details at http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/bubblingover.html

In an effort to show parents and children how much sugar is found in sweetened beverages, the Rethink Your Drink Education Campaign was born.  The campaign began in the Bay Area and is currently used in all of California as those involved in childhood obesity prevention are promoting Sugar Free Summers, Sugar Savvy Training, Educational Displays, and Make Every Sip Count Handouts for families. 

Interested in joining the Rethink Your Drink initiative? 

Visit http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/WICRethinkYourDrink.aspx for the California Department of Public Health’s Campaign resources. 

Visit www.BANPAC.org for more Sugar Savvy resources and handouts. 

Visit www.sodafreesummer.org for more information about the Soda Free Summer campaign. 

Food Ads Targeting Kids

Did you know that children are spending anywhere between 3.5 to almost 6 hours of screen time including TV, computers, phones, etc. every day.   8 – 12 year olds are exposed to almost 40 minutes of advertising a day.  Food is the most frequently advertised product with the top three products being candy and snacks, cereal and fast food.  When the nutritional quality of food ads targeting kids was assessed, to no one surprise, nutritionally poor food ads dominated.      
Are you surprised?  This is another reason why a comprehensive approach to improving health has to include policy and advocacy for healthy environments along with nutrition education and health promotion.  Our kids deserve better!  We need strong science based guidelines to direct food marketing to kids.   

There are many groups researching the impact of media and advertising on children.  There are also groups that provide media advocacy training and strategic planning support for community groups and public health advocates.  If you are interested in getting involved, check out the Berkeley Media Studies Group at www.bsmg.org.  


Source: Children Now- Ensuring a Healthy Media Environment for Children  http://www.cce.csus.edu/conferences/nhc/11/speaker/uploads/Espejo,%20E_Ensuring_Healthy_Media.pdf

The Issue of a Kid's Weight

Childhood obesity is an issue we have all been hearing about lately.  There are many varying views on the epidemic, what is causing it and what the solutions are.  What we all agree on are the associated health risks that can contribute to preventable chronic diseases.  That said; after working in the field or childhood obesity prevention for the last 10 years, I am sick of the O word.  I think it is time to place the emphasis on the H word; health.  I appreciate the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ focus on the “Big Picture.”  A piece on Talking to Kids about Weight encourages that the focus be on health and not weight.  If a child has a weight issue, it is the responsibility of the entire family to eat better and move more so that kid has the opportunity to grow into his/her weight as his/her height increases.  I agree whole heartedly that it is about the family’s lifestyle behaviors and modeling that can be the most positive influences on the child’s weight and overall health.  The article includes additional information like limiting screen time and seeking professional advice.  Interested?  If you would like to know more, check out the link: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6848

For even more information, you can purchase If Your Child is Overweight: A Guide for Parents, 3^rd Edition through the Academy of Nutrition and Academics website @ www.eatright.org