Ms. Beseler of www.nutritionandfamily.com featured in ProHealth Magazine.
By Lucille Beseler, MS, RD, LD/N.January/February 2006 ProHealth Magazine Publication
http://www.prohealthresources.com/health_articles/nutrition-childhood-obesity.php
The end of the summer has turned into a busy time for us. The children in our community went back to school earlier than ever. The hurricane season has proved to be menacing, requiring families to spend a considerable amount of time preparing homes are to ensure family safety from the storms. The holiday season will soon be upon us. With all these activities no wonder we have little time to dedicate to ensuring our families are eating healthy. Unfortunately, to ignore the nutritional health of our families is as dangerous as not preparing properly for a hurricane. The National Institute of Health recently stated that if the obesity epedemic is not stopped our children will have a lower life expectancy than their parents. This is tragic. Thirty percent of children have been identified as overweight, obese, or at risk for overweight. As a community can we ignore these sobering warnings? To do so would have far reaching consequences and be disastrous to the future of our society. Do not be fooled in thinking that a five year old child who is only five pounds overweight will grow out of it. Today's children are not growing out of it. Although five pounds doesn't sound too severe it can make a difference between a child being classified as overweight or obese.
Here are the statistics:
Weight Trends in America have increased significantly from 1960-1994 and is now viewed as a Major Public Heath Challenge. 97 million Americans' which is 55% of population are overweight and obese. Of this percentage, 6 million children are overweight enough to endanger their health, and 5 million children are on the threshold.
Obesity and overweight is affecting all races, ethnicities and genders.
Obesity and overweight causes many physical problems and leads to the development of chronic diseases such as:
Hypertension
Lipid Disorders
Type 2 Diabetes
Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
Gallbladder Disease
Osteoarthritis
Sleep Apnea
Respiratory problems
Certain Cancers
The estimated cost to our society to treat obesity related disorders is $100 Billion.
Childhood obesity and overweight is a complex issue with many causative factors including: genetics, diet, physical inactivity, and socioeconomic factors. Addressing the health problems associated with childhood obesity is similar to adults.
Type 2 Diabetes
Fatty Liver precursor to Cirrhosis
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Increased Blood Pressure
Increased Cholesterol Levels
Early Puberty
Let's not forget the emotional aspect of being obese or overweight. Obese kids suffer physically and emotionally throughout childhood.
When evaluating diet and eating trends it is evident that children's diets have undergone changes from the 1960's. Some families perceive that they have little time for preparing meals although the average family spends 22-24 hours per week watching TV. Children are eating less home cooked meals which are being replaced by excessive intake of fast foods or restaurant meals, which provide excessive portions or the typical unhealthy kid's meal of fried foods. This trend has produced a generation that consumes small amounts of fruit, vegetable, and whole grains and has little concept of appropriate food portions. Small children are eating "man sized portions". . The challenge to deliver healthy meals is compounded by soda, snack machines and fast food chains on site at schools and aggressive advertising by food companies, and fast food restaurants targeted at children.
What can families do to prevent weight problems in their children? Parents must be good role models. Provide healthy foods to children and involve the family in physical activity.
Prevention, Intervention & Parenting:
Praise good behavior
Encourage daily exercise
Establish healthy eating patterns
Distinguish between hunger vs. appetite
Teach children to eat when hungry only
De-emphasize "Fun Foods" or Food as a reward for good behavior
Easy Tips on What to Do:
Parents need help in their endeavor. This is a societal problem. Let us involve extended family members as well as the community. There needs to be a community based effort since the societal impact of obesity will be great! Schools have begun to participate in promoting healthy lifestyles and environment but more needs to be done. School coaches can assist by scheduling games earlier and encourage vendors at events to sell healthy foods. Teachers can encourage healthy snacks in the classroom and reward children with non-food items. School Principles need to think carefully before allowing vending machine companies and fast food companies into their school. Lastly we must all limit children's screen time from Playstation, computer or T.V. and replace it with physical activity.
Tips for growing a healthy eater:
1. Identify problems early- Ask your Pediatrician if you suspect a problem. Your pediatrician can tell you if your child is at risk for overweight, is overweight or obese and what type of intervention should be considered.
2. Re-modeling your kitchen cabinets from the inside:
Make room for foods and snacks lower in sugar by reading labels and choosing lower sugar foods. Cereal, snacks, and juices provide the most sugar in our children's diet. Keep snacks less than 100 calories approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams fat. Attempt to limit to one snack per day.
Stock up on water instead of juice or soda
Choose high fiber cereals with more than 3 grams fiber and no more than 6 grams sugar. Choose whole grains such as wheat bread, brown rice, and wheat pasta.
Clean out the fridge and make a shelf for fresh fruit and vegetables. Make the EAT 5 servings per day your families slogan
Trim the fat use lower fat condiments, skim milk dairy products, lean meat, fish, and poultry.
3. Make healthy family meals at home a priority. No time to cook? Consider batch cooking meals on the weekend or use already healthy convenience foods to create an almost home cooked meal. Chicken strips with a vegetable salad and a wheat roll make a fast healthy meal. Cooking methods should include grilling, broiling and not frying. Cut down on fast food 1x/week. Practice portion control by measuring. 4. Encourage breakfast 5. Review lunch menu with your child 6. Convey positive messages regarding food and health by being a good role model 7. Encourage good eating habits: Eat only in designated areas such as kitchen or dining room. 8. Discourage poor eating habits such as eating while watching TV or eating in the car.
9. Start moving; make family exercise and activity a priority. A family walking program can make a positive difference.
10. Changing your families eating patterns may be difficult and will take some time. Start slow and keep building, adding new healthy eating techniques each week. Family involvement can make it fun and more effective. Remember what you do is much more important than what you say.
Preventing and treating childhood obesity is as important an issue as encouraging Adults to quit smoking. We can not pretend that children will grow out of weight problems. We all must do our part to ensure that they lead healthy and long lives free from obesity related disease.
Reference:
http://www.CDC.org
Ogden, et al. Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US children and Adolescents, 1999-2000 JAMA.,2002; 288 (14) 1728-1732.
* Dietz, WH. Health Consequences of obesity in youth:childhood predictors of adult disease. Pediatrics.1998;101(3suppl):518-525.
Swallen KC, Reither E, et al. Overweight, obesity, and health related quality of life among adolescents: The national longitudinal study of adolescent health.Pediatrics. 2005;115(2)340-347.
Barlow SE, Dietz WH. Obesity evaluation and treatment: Expert Committee Recommendations.Pediatrics.1998;102:1-11.
Source: Linda J. Gillis, MSc, RD, Oded Bar-Or, MD; Journal of the American College of Nutrition, December 2003
Barlow SE, Dietz WH. Obesity evaluation and treatment: Expert Committee Recommendations.Pediatrics.1998;102:1-11
Bazarte M, Beseler, L. Nurturing with Nutrition.DMI Publications 2001. www.nutritionandfamily.com
By Lucille Beseler, MS, RD, LD/N.January/February 2006 ProHealth Magazine Publication
http://www.prohealthresources.com/health_articles/nutrition-childhood-obesity.php
The end of the summer has turned into a busy time for us. The children in our community went back to school earlier than ever. The hurricane season has proved to be menacing, requiring families to spend a considerable amount of time preparing homes are to ensure family safety from the storms. The holiday season will soon be upon us. With all these activities no wonder we have little time to dedicate to ensuring our families are eating healthy. Unfortunately, to ignore the nutritional health of our families is as dangerous as not preparing properly for a hurricane. The National Institute of Health recently stated that if the obesity epedemic is not stopped our children will have a lower life expectancy than their parents. This is tragic. Thirty percent of children have been identified as overweight, obese, or at risk for overweight. As a community can we ignore these sobering warnings? To do so would have far reaching consequences and be disastrous to the future of our society. Do not be fooled in thinking that a five year old child who is only five pounds overweight will grow out of it. Today's children are not growing out of it. Although five pounds doesn't sound too severe it can make a difference between a child being classified as overweight or obese.
Here are the statistics:
Weight Trends in America have increased significantly from 1960-1994 and is now viewed as a Major Public Heath Challenge. 97 million Americans' which is 55% of population are overweight and obese. Of this percentage, 6 million children are overweight enough to endanger their health, and 5 million children are on the threshold.
Obesity and overweight is affecting all races, ethnicities and genders.
Obesity and overweight causes many physical problems and leads to the development of chronic diseases such as:
Hypertension
Lipid Disorders
Type 2 Diabetes
Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
Gallbladder Disease
Osteoarthritis
Sleep Apnea
Respiratory problems
Certain Cancers
The estimated cost to our society to treat obesity related disorders is $100 Billion.
Childhood obesity and overweight is a complex issue with many causative factors including: genetics, diet, physical inactivity, and socioeconomic factors. Addressing the health problems associated with childhood obesity is similar to adults.
Type 2 Diabetes
Fatty Liver precursor to Cirrhosis
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Increased Blood Pressure
Increased Cholesterol Levels
Early Puberty
Let's not forget the emotional aspect of being obese or overweight. Obese kids suffer physically and emotionally throughout childhood.
When evaluating diet and eating trends it is evident that children's diets have undergone changes from the 1960's. Some families perceive that they have little time for preparing meals although the average family spends 22-24 hours per week watching TV. Children are eating less home cooked meals which are being replaced by excessive intake of fast foods or restaurant meals, which provide excessive portions or the typical unhealthy kid's meal of fried foods. This trend has produced a generation that consumes small amounts of fruit, vegetable, and whole grains and has little concept of appropriate food portions. Small children are eating "man sized portions". . The challenge to deliver healthy meals is compounded by soda, snack machines and fast food chains on site at schools and aggressive advertising by food companies, and fast food restaurants targeted at children.
What can families do to prevent weight problems in their children? Parents must be good role models. Provide healthy foods to children and involve the family in physical activity.
Prevention, Intervention & Parenting:
Praise good behavior
Encourage daily exercise
Establish healthy eating patterns
Distinguish between hunger vs. appetite
Teach children to eat when hungry only
De-emphasize "Fun Foods" or Food as a reward for good behavior
Easy Tips on What to Do:
Parents need help in their endeavor. This is a societal problem. Let us involve extended family members as well as the community. There needs to be a community based effort since the societal impact of obesity will be great! Schools have begun to participate in promoting healthy lifestyles and environment but more needs to be done. School coaches can assist by scheduling games earlier and encourage vendors at events to sell healthy foods. Teachers can encourage healthy snacks in the classroom and reward children with non-food items. School Principles need to think carefully before allowing vending machine companies and fast food companies into their school. Lastly we must all limit children's screen time from Playstation, computer or T.V. and replace it with physical activity.
Tips for growing a healthy eater:
1. Identify problems early- Ask your Pediatrician if you suspect a problem. Your pediatrician can tell you if your child is at risk for overweight, is overweight or obese and what type of intervention should be considered.
2. Re-modeling your kitchen cabinets from the inside:
Make room for foods and snacks lower in sugar by reading labels and choosing lower sugar foods. Cereal, snacks, and juices provide the most sugar in our children's diet. Keep snacks less than 100 calories approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams fat. Attempt to limit to one snack per day.
Stock up on water instead of juice or soda
Choose high fiber cereals with more than 3 grams fiber and no more than 6 grams sugar. Choose whole grains such as wheat bread, brown rice, and wheat pasta.
Clean out the fridge and make a shelf for fresh fruit and vegetables. Make the EAT 5 servings per day your families slogan
Trim the fat use lower fat condiments, skim milk dairy products, lean meat, fish, and poultry.
3. Make healthy family meals at home a priority. No time to cook? Consider batch cooking meals on the weekend or use already healthy convenience foods to create an almost home cooked meal. Chicken strips with a vegetable salad and a wheat roll make a fast healthy meal. Cooking methods should include grilling, broiling and not frying. Cut down on fast food 1x/week. Practice portion control by measuring. 4. Encourage breakfast 5. Review lunch menu with your child 6. Convey positive messages regarding food and health by being a good role model 7. Encourage good eating habits: Eat only in designated areas such as kitchen or dining room. 8. Discourage poor eating habits such as eating while watching TV or eating in the car.
9. Start moving; make family exercise and activity a priority. A family walking program can make a positive difference.
10. Changing your families eating patterns may be difficult and will take some time. Start slow and keep building, adding new healthy eating techniques each week. Family involvement can make it fun and more effective. Remember what you do is much more important than what you say.
Preventing and treating childhood obesity is as important an issue as encouraging Adults to quit smoking. We can not pretend that children will grow out of weight problems. We all must do our part to ensure that they lead healthy and long lives free from obesity related disease.
Reference:
http://www.CDC.org
Ogden, et al. Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US children and Adolescents, 1999-2000 JAMA.,2002; 288 (14) 1728-1732.
* Dietz, WH. Health Consequences of obesity in youth:childhood predictors of adult disease. Pediatrics.1998;101(3suppl):518-525.
Swallen KC, Reither E, et al. Overweight, obesity, and health related quality of life among adolescents: The national longitudinal study of adolescent health.Pediatrics. 2005;115(2)340-347.
Barlow SE, Dietz WH. Obesity evaluation and treatment: Expert Committee Recommendations.Pediatrics.1998;102:1-11.
Source: Linda J. Gillis, MSc, RD, Oded Bar-Or, MD; Journal of the American College of Nutrition, December 2003
Barlow SE, Dietz WH. Obesity evaluation and treatment: Expert Committee Recommendations.Pediatrics.1998;102:1-11
Bazarte M, Beseler, L. Nurturing with Nutrition.DMI Publications 2001. www.nutritionandfamily.com
posted by Family Nutrition Center Of South Florida at
9:35 PM
|
0 comments
