Tag Archives: nutrition

Child Health, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Great Healthy Snacks for Kids

Finding great healthy snacks for kids is an ongoing challenge for every parent. With busy schedules, fixed grocery budgets and the discerning palates of children, making healthy choices is a process often pushed aside. Fortunately, parents and kids can work together to choose healthy options that are affordable and easy to find in the grocery store.

 

Snacks with Cheese

Adding protein such as cheese to a child’s snack helps the child to feel full while preventing the sugar high that sends kids bouncing off the walls. Most kids enjoy mild flavored medium-hard cheeses such as cheddar, Monterey Jack and Colby. Some snacks to try with cheese include:

•Cheese paired with whole-grain crackers
•Cheese and fruit kabobs
•Quesadillas with cheese, refried black beans and salsa for dipping
•Pinwheels made with a tortilla, cheese, and hummus or meat, rolled up and sliced into rounds
•Cheese flowers, which are cheese shapes cut out with cookie cutters and put onto pretzel stick “stems”

 

Peanut Butter

So long as a child is not allergic to nuts, peanut butter is an affordable, filling and easy option for many different snacks. Some creative options include:

•Spread on celery and line with raisins for “ants on a log”
•Spread onto tortillas and drizzle with honey for an alternative to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
•Use as a spread on mini waffles or rice cakes

 

Yogurt

Yogurt contains live active cultures that can help kids who are prone to belly aches. With so many styles of yogurt, including Greek yogurt, fruit-filled yogurt and mousse-style yogurt, there’s sure to be a flavor to please even the pickiest eaters. Parents can serve yogurt as a snack in these ways:

•Mixed with pureed fruit and frozen into popsicles
•Made into a parfait with layers of fresh fruit and granola
•Mixed with frozen fruit and almond milk or apple juice as a smoothie

 

Fruit

Sweet fresh fruit is a staple in the homes of many families. To keep this snack affordable, stick with seasonal fruits such as apples in the fall, oranges in winter and strawberries in the summer. Some creative ways to serve fruit to children include:

•Mixed into oatmeal
•Added to cold cereal
•Cut and ready for dipping into yogurt

These great healthy snacks for kids are quick to make. They are also easy to bring while on the go, just put them into a reusable lunch sack.

 

Child Health, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Ways to Help Prevent Childhood Obesity

Obesity has become a major health problem over the past few decades. While losing weight and getting healthy is difficult for adults, the problem is even more challenging when talking about childhood obesity.

No person ever wants to be overweight, but unhealthful eating choices and too little exercise are firmly ingrained habits that are difficult to change. Some of the blame can be placed on parents who do not understand the health risks of obesity, but more often children gain weight because their parents lead a busy life and choose convenience foods over healthful foods.

 

Combating Childhood Obesity

 

Stock the Kitchen with Healthful Foodsavoid childhood obesity

While most kids will gravitate toward snacks with too much sugar, fat and salt, they will enjoy more nutritious fruits and nuts just as much. It is important to limit between meal snacks so the children will be interested in eating the healthful meals that are served.

It is also important that parents limit serving sizes and make sure children are eating a balanced diet.

 

Limit or Eliminate Soda and Sweetened Drinks

There is a high concentration of sugar in soda and sweetened beverages. Children should drink an adequate amount of water in addition to milk and natural fruit juices to get the nutrients they need while avoiding the sugars that can contribute to childhood obesity.

Parents should not keep any beverages containing artificial sweeteners in their home because they are also unhealthful.

 

Encourage Physical Activity in Children

Young children have a natural tendency to run and play, but too much exposure to electronic devices such as computers and television can make electronic entertainment more tempting as they grow older.

Parents who are busy working and maintaining a home may appreciate the peace and quiet in their home while the kids are watching TV or playing computer games, but these activities must be limited.

Unfortunately, it is not always safe to allow kids outside to play with their friends, so parents should make it a point to get out with them and enjoy physical activities together.

Parents must make healthful food and lifestyle choices for their children, and most of them will when they realize the importance of good health for their kids.

The incidence of childhood obesity, diabetes and the development of heart disease can be greatly reduced when parents are able to help their children maintain a healthy weight. Obese children also suffer from poor self-esteem, and this can limit their outlook for a positive future and fulfilled life.

 

Child Health, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

10 Facts about Childhood Obesity

The number of American children suffering from obesity has tripled over the past 50 years. Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges facing the U.S. Most cases of childhood obesity have behavioral or environmental origins as opposed to genetic roots.

 

Did you know?

1. Almost half of the children in the U.S. who are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes would not have diabetes if they were not obese.

2. Currently, childhood obesity costs the U.S. $14 billion annually. Obesity-related illnesses are estimated to cost $66 billion per year by 2030.

3. New diagnoses of asthma have increased by 52 percent in children and adolescents. Experts suspect a strong link between asthma and diabetes in children and teens.

4. Children with obesity are at higher risk of heart disease. 70 percent of youth who are obese have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Heart disease risk from high blood pressure and high cholesterol increases for obese children.

5. Overweight children miss school 4 times more frequently than children who are not overweight. The fear of being bullied, teased or embarrassed often prevents overweight children from participating in healthy physical activities.

6. Excessive snacking results in additional consumption of 200 calories per day of unhealthy snack foods and beverages. States that restrict the sale of snack foods and beverages in schools show lower rates of unhealthy weight gain in youth.

7. The four to five hours per day that a typical child spends watching TV, using the computer or playing video games increases the likelihood of excess weight gain. This sedentary behavior contributes to a lifetime of obesity.

8. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children and teens practice activity equal to 60 minutes of vigorous walking every day. Only one out of every four children participates in any free-time physical activity of any type on a regular basis.

9. The life expectancy of obese children is reduced by at least five years when obesity is permanent.

10. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only 2 percent of American children enjoy healthy diets. A survey of high school seniors found that only 3 out of every 10 teens eat vegetables of any amount on a daily basis.

Child Health, Child Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Type 1 Diabetes in Kids

Diabetes mellitus type 1, known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is an autoimmune disorder that most often manifests in childhood.

As the name suggests, those with type-1 diabetes must be on insulin therapy indefinitely, and the disease requires careful monitoring of both diet and insulin intake. Managing type-1 diabetes in kids is an ongoing collaboration between the doctor, the parents and the child.

 

Causes

Type-1 diabetes is the result of an autoimmune disorder in which the beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are destroyed.

While the underlying cause of Type-1 diabetes is unknown, proposed theories include genetics, environmental factors and virus triggers, which induce a vigorous autoimmune response that attacks other cells in the body.

Other causes currently under investigation include the ingestion of water that has high levels of nitrates, the timing of transitioning a baby to cereal, and low dietary levels of vitamin D.

 

Symptoms

There are some very clear symptoms of Type-1 diabetes, including an increase in thirst, frequent urination, persistent dry mouth, fatigue, blurred vision, increased hunger and weight loss.

In children, symptoms may also include irritability, moodiness and other behavioral changes. Girls with Type-1 diabetes may develop a yeast infection, and babies can develop yeast-caused diaper rash.

 

Complications from Type-1 Diabetes

Long-term, there are a number of complications that can affect both function and quality of life for a child with Type-1 diabetes.

As adults, people who had Type-1 diabetes diagnosed in childhood have some of the same complications and risks that people with adult-onset Type-2 diabetes experience. These complications include a higher incidence of both stroke and heart disease, high cholesterol and triglycerides, which can cause cardiovascular problems, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy.

Careful management of Type-1 diabetes through insulin therapy, diet and exercise will minimize these complications.

Insulin therapy and education are the cornerstones for managing Type-1 diabetes in kids. However, the ultimate goal is to have the child grow to be a healthy adult by taking responsibility for effective management of the disease.

 

Child Health, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Childhood nutrition facts

Did you know that the amount of nutrients kids need to grow changes as they get older? Take a look at the childhood nutrition facts below to learn how much each food group your child needs.

 

Kids age 2-3

Calories  1,000-1,400

Protein  2-4 ounces

Fruit  1-1.5 cups

Vegetables  1-1.5 cups

Grain  3-5 ounces

Dairy  2-2.5 cups

 

Girls age 4-8

Calories  1,200-1,800

Protein  3-5 ounces

Fruit  1-1.5 cups

Vegetables  1.5-2.5 cups

Grain  4-6 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Boys age 4-8

Calories  1,200-2,000

Protein  3-5.5 ounces

Fruit  1-2 cups

Vegetables  1.5-2.5 cups

Grain  4-6 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Girls age 9-13Breakfast

Calories  1,400-2,200

Protein  4-6 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  1.5-3 cups

Grain  5-7 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Boys age 9-13

Calories  1,600-2,600

Protein  5-6.5 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  2-3.5 cups

Grain  5-9 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

 

Girls age 14-18

Calories  1,800-2,400

Protein  5-6.5 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  2.5-3 cups

Grain  6-8 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

 

Boys age 14-18

Calories  2,000-3,200

Protein  5.5-7 ounces

Fruit  2-2.5 cups

Vegetables  2.5-4 cups

Grain  6-10 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

(source: Mayo Clinic)

 

These childhood nutrition facts are a great way to ensure that your child’s body has the fuel it needs to develop. And of course, you want to limit junk food and encourage physical activity.

Child Health, Child Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Kids with diabetes

In the United States alone, there are over 200,000 kids with diabetes according to the Centers for Disease Control. If not well managed, diabetes can cause a lot of health problems, but if you and your child are good about keeping their symptoms in check, your child can live a healthy and normal life.

Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar isn’t being absorbed into the cells of the body because either the body isn’t making a chemical called insulin, or it is being produced but the body is unable to use it.

Adults and kids with diabetes need to monitor what they eat and the amount of exercise they get because if the blood sugar levels get too high it can cause serious illness and even death.

Although diabetes is a serious condition, there are a few things that kids can do to keep their symptoms in check.

  • check blood sugar levels often
  • give themselves insulin shots as needed
  • eat healthy
  • exercise daily
  • regularly check in with their doctor to monitor any changes in health

With a little discipline and guidance from a doctor, kids with diabetes can enjoy their childhood happy and healthy.

 

 

Child Fitness, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Proper Nutrition Improves Childhood Obesity Statistics

According to the CDC, childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last thirty years. In 2010, 18% of children ages six to eleven were considered obese. Numbers like these are occurring all over the country, causing alarm among the medical community.

As these rates continue to rise, it is certain more and more children will become victims of obesity, threatening their health and their lives. Many in the medical community are working to see what can be done to stop the onslaught of this epidemic.

Through research, it has been found the foods being consumed by children are putting their health at great risk and causing weight issues like have never been seen before.

 

Childhood obesity and kid’s diets

Why Is the Diet of Today’s Children Such a Concern?

Very few children these days are getting the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) of the healthy foods containing the vitamins and minerals needed for proper growth and body function. Not only are children not eating the proper foods, but they are eating way too much.

The average child eats hundreds of calories more than they should in a day. Between the ages of seven and ten, children should consume between 1500 and 2000 calories, depending on their age and sex.

 

Food choice heavily impacts childhood obesity

One of the biggest worries among the medical community is children are eating more fast food, fried foods, candy and soda than ever before. If your child consumes a 4-piece chicken nugget happy meal, they have already consumed about a third of the calories they need in a day. This can be even greater if your child chooses to up the size of their meal to a Mighty meal.

Though the schools are trying to do their part in helping provide children with proper nutrition, they are failing in many ways. Pizza, fried nuggets and fries are not making for healthy kids.

 

Curbing childhood obesity

To improve the health of your child and prevent or reverse obesity, you need to offer your child a wide variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. Snacks should be offered in the form of fresh fruits and vegetable sticks. It is also important to get your child moving as much as possible.

Studies have shown active children who have plenty of opportunities for active play, weigh less than those who sit around and play video games or watch TV.

Through a healthy diet, exercise for kids and your supervision over their health, your child’s weight will improve along with their health.

Child Fitness, Child Nutrition, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Child Nutrition Overview

Nutrition is defined as the process of providing your body with the food necessary for life and growth. In order to understand nutrition, you must realize that all food put into your mouth is either expelled as waste or converted into just four substances: glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and glycerol.

That’s it.

No matter what you eat, within a few hours, these substances are all that’s left. Then, these four substances are absorbed into the blood stream and, through several complex processes, burned for energy within the body’s cells (amino acids are first used to make protein molecules, such as enzymes and antibodies, and then only the excess is burned).

If there’s more glucose, amino acids, fatty or glycerol than what the cells need, the excess is stored as fat for later use — if, if there’s less, fat (and muscle) is utilized to provide the balance of your energy needs.

The point here is that, relative to energy needs, the body doesn’t care where the energy comes from. 1000 calories is 1000 calories whether they come from candy or carrots, white or whole wheat bread, low-fat or high-fat ice cream, steak or potatoes, corn oil or olive oil. The nutrition of these products varies but a calorie of energy from one food is no different than the calorie of energy from another food.

However, despite this reality, most Americans (66% in a recent survey) get this wrong and believe the specific kind of food eaten is the most important factor for losing weight. Therefore, good nutrition for many people is more about losing weight than “providing your body with the food necessary for life and growth” – the more valid goal for eating well.

So deciding what to eat should be based on providing good nutrition for your body rather than losing weight. Weight loss is based on how much you eat, not on what you eat.

But, what foods or combination of foods provide good nutrition?

As you’re probably aware, there is an overwhelming amount of advice in this area and, sadly, much of it is contradictory. As a result, many Americans are so confused they don’t know what to eat in order to provide their body with good nutrition.

As a contributor to the Better Kids Institute, I plan to clear up this confusion with the article I contribute to this site.

If you want additional information about nutrition, beyond what’s provided on this site, here is an additional resource you may want to access: Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family

Child Nutrition, Child Obesity, Fitness, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Wellness vs. Weight

The terms wellness and health and fitness are often used interchangeably to define the condition of good overall physical and mental health, especially when maintained by proper diet, exercise, and habits.

However, many people define health and fitness by the number they see on their bathroom scale. When a person says they are out of shape, they often mean they are overweight.

In reality, wellness should be defined by a broad range of health and fitness factors rather than just weight status. But the media’s attention on weight has a resulted in a lot of people thinking that their weight is the be-all and end-all of health. If they are at a normal weight, they are healthy and fit and, otherwise, they’re not.

Research studies have clearly demonstrated that a person’s weight status should not be the sole (or, even the major) determinant of wellness. It is certainly possible to be of a normal weight and have poor health and fitness and, likewise, to be overweight or even obese and have a high level of wellness.

But, if weight isn’t the primary criteria for health and fitnes, what is?

If you think about it, the criteria for wellness should be different for each individual because people’s self-perception of health and fitness is largely determined by what’s important in their life, which is extremely variable.

For example, take a look at this list of possible goals people could have relative to being healthy and fit:

* Increase self-confidence
* Address a health problem
* Improve in a sport
* Have more fun
* Wear different clothes
* Increase self-respect
* Lengthen life
* Increase strength
* Travel more
* Improve body image
* Lower stress and anxiety
* Prevent a health problem
* Reduce arthritis pain
* Increase endurance
* Perform hobby better
* Look younger
* Improve mood
* Slow aging process
* Improve flexibility
* Enrich relationships
* Improve appearance
* Enjoy retirement
* Lower blood pressure
* Improve mobility
* Change jobs
* Improve social life
* Increase energy
* Get better sleep
* Set example for kids
* Boost concentration
* Lower cholesterol
* Reduce tiredness
* Play with kid(s)/grandkid(s)
* Increase eating enjoyment
* Eliminate worry and guilt
* Increased stamina
* Better diabetes control
* Reduce back pain
* Be there for kids/grandkid

After reviewing this list, can you see how each person defines health and fitness may differ dramatically? The reality is that the true criteria for health and fitness are unique to each individual.

Allen Oelschlaeger (allenoelschlaeger.com) is known for his no-nonsense and passionate approach to sharing his expertise on weight loss, nutrition and fitness and is the creator of the B.I.T.E. method for effortless weight management. Allen has degrees in biology and pharmacy and was an executive in the medical industry for over 20 years.