Obesity Starts At Home

To this again I say duh. This is the conclusion today of the nutrition experts who are sorting through a parade of studies released this summer that show children in all age groups in the USA are gaining too much weight — even babies. Those experts are laying the bulk of responsibility on parents, many of whom also are heavy. I blog on this quite often, and the articles and studies just keep on coming, so I am obviously not the only one concerned with what I am seeing in the schools now.

The article in USA Today

goes on to say that kids are learning unhealthy behaviors from an early age. Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, says he never meets children who have better eating habits than their parents. "Parents are, hands down, the biggest influence on their kids. They need to be good role models. I heard a quote that said, 'What you say will speak to your kids. What you do will scream to them.' "

Government data shows that 2/3rds of U.S. adults are overweight and 1/3 of children and teens - about 25 million kids - are overweight or on the brink of becoming. YIKES! This all just leads down the path of developing diabetes, high cholesterol and other health problems. Ayoob says that busy parents often don't make the time to feed their children healthful foods. Couple with that with more video games and television watching inactivity and that's a recipe for disaster. Ayoob says we have to rearrange our priorities.

SOME SOLUTIONS:
I broke it down from the article -
1 - Limit the beverages - those are the biggest problem. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks.
2 - Limit the 'grazing' of snacks - lose the packaged foods and fast foods. Substitute more fruits and vegetables.
3 - Switch kids from whole milk to skim milk at age 2.
4 - Limit the TV, computer and video game time. Encourage activity.
5 - Plan meals ahead of time and go to the grocery store. Make it a family affair. There are plenty of good shortcuts now: packaged salads, cut up vegetables and fruit, roasted chicken, ready to eat fish and meat. Trader Joe's ROCKS for busy parents!

Post your comments on quick and healthy 'fast' foods for busy families...

- LT