Tips On Raising Children 

Good Nutrition and

Exercise Habits Fend off

Obesity in Children.

By

Georgia Beaverson

It used to be a cute way to sell food.  Advertisers presented the public with a pudgy kid singing about his favorite baloney and biting into a sandwich that would choke a horse. But what used to be cute isn’t anymore.

The awful truth is America’s children are obese---and getting more so every year.  In fact, a recent study at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill found that children born in the 60’s became obese earlier, in their late 20’s.  That is 26 to 28 percent sooner than children born in the 50’s.

“Clearly, we’re seeing more obesity,” sates Dr. Aaron Carroll, a pediatric endocrinologist with University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.  Carroll runs the hospital’s Pediatric Fitness Clinic and is among the doctors conducting a national study of Type II diabetes in children. He knows the high cost of obesity in kids because he sees it firsthand.

Obesity leads to serious health concerns in adults, and obesity in children means this health problems show up sooner.  Carroll lists Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol as just three of the side effects of obesity in kids.

He points to a range of factors influencing youthful obesity. The first is Americans’ easy access to high calorie foods.  Two-income households mean a crunch for time.  That leads to eating out more frequently and the use of convenience foods—both high-calorie options.

The food industry markets these calorie-dense foods directly to children, increasing pressure on parents to provide them. For example, a 4-piece order of Chicken McNuggets in a McDonald’s Happy Meal is 210 calories. More than half of those calories are from fat. If the child uses sauce, layer on another 50 – 60 calories. Add a small order of fries and tot up another 210 calories, 90 of which come from fat. Top it off with a 110-calorie soft drink and you get a meal laden with fat and carbohydrates, containing almost no fiber, and loaded with 580 to 590 calories—too many for most adults.

Carroll cites lack of physical activity as another reason for obesity in children. The crush for time most families fall prey to simply elbows out playtime. For many kids, an afternoon of baseball means sitting in front of the tube, mesmerized by pop-flies on a TV screen.

“It would be nice if the culture at large would help,” says March Braun, RN, the Pediatric Fitness Clinic’s nutritionist. “But it doesn’t.  We’re bucking an entire societal-cultural thing.”

But bucking the trend isn’t impossible, Braun hastens to add.  Both she and Carroll believe parents hold the power to help obese children trim down.

Carroll points out parents can build a positive attitude about both nutrition and exercise in their home. He advises parents of an obese child not to single out that child for special treatment. Instead, make health a family affair.

Little changes in habits will help everyone in the family live a healthier life.  Exercise as a family. Cut down on fat by limiting convenience and fast food. Eating together at home enables parents to monitor meal content. Don’t eat in front of the television. Plan snacks ahead of time, offering children specific foods at specific times. 

Braun warns parents not to make eating a power struggle. “Parents can be too controlling. It will backfire. Your goal should be for the child to self-regulate. It shouldn’t be a battle or a struggle.  If it is, you need some help.”

She says it’s better to exercise control at the grocery store. Instead of buying “anything in a little individual package,” parents can stock the pantry with fruit, whole-grain bread, nutritious cereal, and veggies. Given a choice, she admits, most kids will rip open a package of fruit snacks rather than grab a handful of grapes.  Make the choice for them by not providing the fruit snacks and keeping grapes on hand.

“Don’t buy convenience or processed foods,” Braun emphasizes.  “Avoid high-carb, white flour and sugary food.  The more ‘instant’ something is, the higher it’s glycemic index is.”  Foods with high glycemic indices provide a steady stream of sugar to a child’s bloodstream.

Think beyond the box to satisfy a hungry snacker. Nutritious cereal and milk makes a filling after-school snack. Toast with peanut is yummy too.  Light popcorn, yogurt, and fruit also provide nutrition and good taste.

“Even leftovers make great snacks,” Braun reveals. Kids can pop a plastic-covered plate into the microwave after school.  Half a can of low-or no-fat pasta is equally satisfying.

While she encourages parents to feed children good food, she acknowledges that fast food is a part of the culture and can even fit into a healthy diet.  It’s up to parents to be firm and set limit on portion size.

“No pop,” she concludes, “and no super-sizing!”