There has been some debate going on in regards to the terms that should be used to indicate a child’s weight status.
For adults the categories are Underweight, Overweight and Obese, but these terms have been avoided in children.
Some doctors have avoided the blunt terms in particular “obese.” Instead, they refer to children many would consider too fat as being “at risk for overweight,” and “overweight” for those others would consider obese. These fuzzier labels let pediatricians “off the hook” when counseling patients who need to lose weight.
Dr. Reginald Washington, a committee spokesman and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that the reason for not using the actual terms has been of “fear that we’re going to stigmatize children, we’re going to take away their self-esteem, we’re going to label them.”
Recommendations
A committee of medical experts American Medical Association and funded by federal health officials including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that the terms overweight or obese be applied to children.
The recommended terms are more accurate, but don’t mean that doctors need to be insensitive about using the terms.
The recommendations were endorsed by most of the organizations on the committee, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dietetic Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American College of Preventive Medicine.
The CDC will consider whether to adopt the recommendations.
Reason for Concern – More Obese and Overweight Children
About 17% of U.S. children are obese and one-third are overweight, using the committee’s recommended definitions. Those numbers are rising, putting children at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and other ailments more commonly found in adults.
For a quarter, you can keep a child from going blind due to Vitamin A deficiency.
Over the course of four years, when children are most vulnerable, the total expense for Vitamin Angels is $1.00, whichs covers the cost of two high dose vitamin A and anti-parasitic supplements given each year to a child from the ages of 2 to 5.
Operation 20/20
Vitamin Angels is committed to eradicating childhood blindness due to Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) on the planet by the year 2020. Operation 20/20 is the first major step in this global campaign, which launched in 2007 18 countries.
Vitamin Angels
Vitamin Angels is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing vital nutrition in the form of supplements, to developing countries, communities and individuals in need. Vitamin Angels has set its sights on the issue of childhood blindness, with plans to eliminate childhood blindness by the year 2020 through the systematic distribution of vitamin A to at-risk children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently revised recommendations for Vitamin D based in new information indicating that children need twice as much Vitamin D as originally thought.
In the new clinical report, “Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents,” published in the November issue of Pediatrics, it is recommended that all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in the first few days of life. The previous recommendation, issued in 2003, called for 200 IU per day beginning in the first two months of life.
The New Recommendations include:
Breastfed and partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU a day of vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life.
All non-breastfed infants, as well as older children, who are consuming less than one quart per day of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day.
Adolescents who do not obtain 400 IU of vitamin D per day through foods should receive a supplement containing that amount.
Children with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, such as those taking certain medications, may need higher doses of vitamin D.
Preventing Rickets and Osteomalacia
Sufficient amounts of Vitamin D helps prevent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, a disease characterized by a failure of bone tissue to properly mineralize, resulting in soft bones and skeletal deformities. Rickets continues to be reported in the United States in infants and adolescents. The greatest risk for rickets is in exclusively breastfed infants, particularly among African American infants, who are not supplemented with 400 IU of vitamin D a day.
In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, resulting in weak muscles and bones.
Vitamin D from the Sun
For many people, eating vitamin D-fortified foods and being exposed to sunlight are needed to maintaining a healthy vitamin D status.
Given enough sun exposure the body is able to make Vitamin D. However, the AAP advises keeping infants out of direct sunlight and having them wear protective clothing and sunscreen to protect against skin cancer.
This extensive use of sunscreens and placement of children in daycare programs, where they often have less outdoor activity and sun exposure has also contributed to less Vitamin D.
The general recommendations for sun exposure are three 15 minute intervals a week. It is difficult to determine a safe amount of sunlight exposure to synthesize vitamin D in a given individual.
Good Food Sources for Vitamin D
Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D is also being added to Orange Juice.
Vitamin D Fortified Milk – Four cups daily to meet the requirement.
Cereals (fortified)
Oily fish – tuna, mackerel and sardines
Beef Liver
Cheese
Egg Yolks
Sources:
American Medical Association. October 14, 2008. New guidelines suggest children should get twice the daily dosage of vitamin D previously recommended. AMA Morning Rounds.
This week’s release of the report by Consumer Reports may have parents wondering what cereals they should be feeding their child/children. One way is to see what cereals are recommended by the WIC program.
WIC is a federally-funded health and nutrition program for women, infants, and children. WIC helps families by providing checks for buying healthy supplemental foods from WIC-authorized vendors, nutrition education, and help finding healthcare and other community services.
What makes a cereal a WIC Approved Cereal?
WIC-approved cereals are ones that are low in sugar and have a lot of nutrients, vitamins and minerals in them. Two of the vitamins included in many of the cereals:
Iron
Folic Acid
List of WIC Approved Cereals in California for Children
All of these cereal are low in sugar and high in nutrients like iron and folic acid. Any cereal specified on the food instrument Box or bags – 12 oz. package or larger except for brand Instant Oatmeal which may be an 11.8 or 12 oz. box General Mills
Cheerios (plain)
Kix (plain)
Kellogg’s
Corn Flakes (plain)
Frosted or Unfrosted Mini- Wheats (Big Bite or Bite Size)
B&G Foods
Cream of Wheat (1 minute, 2-1/2 Minute, 10 minute)
Post
Honey Bunches of Oats (Honey Roast)
Quaker
Life (plain)
Crunchy Corn Bran Store Brands (See list of authorized labels)
Crisp(y) Rice
Instant Oatmeal (Regular unflavored, in 11.8 oz or 12 oz. box of individual serving packets)
Cereals that Can not be Bought on WIC Programs
Brands or labels not specifically listed on WIC Authorized Food List and California Shopping Guide WIC Authorized Foods
Individual serving packets, except for store brand Instant Oatmeal – Packages smaller than 12 oz., except for store brand Instant Oatmeal
Honey (except for Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Roast), frosted, cinnamon, or fruit flavored
Cereals with chocolate, fruit, nuts, marshmallows, or yogurt clusters/pieces
Results from a study released this week by Consumer Reports found that only four of the 27 cereals tested rank as “very good.” Those that were judged to be “very good” are Cheerios, Kix, Life and Honey Nut Cheerios.
The majority of the cereals (23 of the top 27 cereals marketed to children) reviewed were classified as “good” or “fair.”
Rice Krispies only ended up with a “fair” rating. Although low in sugar it is also low in fiber. Cocoa Puffs and Frosted Flakes ended up in the “good” category because they had some fiber (1 gm) and were a good source of iron. Fruit Loops ended up with a “fair” rating, with a low fiber amount and 12 grams of sugar.
Two childrens’ cereals Honey Smacks (15 gms) and Golden Crisp (14 gms) classified as “fair” are more than 50 percent sugar by weight; this is as much sugar per serving as a glazed donut from Dunkin’ Donuts. This amount of sugar is less than the amount of sugar in a serving of yogurt.
The Classifications
Very Good – Relatively low in sugars, with some fiber; high in iron and a good source of calcium.
Good – Room for improvement in sugars and/or figer; high in or a good source of iron.
Fair – Eat only occasionally; most have a lot of sugar and too little figer; most are high in or a good source of iron, but not calcium.
The Good Cereals
Cheerios topped the list with only 1 gram of sugar and 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Cheerios
Kix
Honey Nut Cheerios
Life (Quaker Oats)
These four cereals earned points for relatively lower sugar and higher dietary fiber, the two categories weighed as most important.
Cereal Not Just for Children Anymore
While sugary cereals are heavily marketed to children ($229 million advertising dollars per year) an estimated 58 percent of children’s cereals are consumed by those over 18 a strong indication that childrens cereals are not just for children anymore.
Watch Serving Sizes
Another issue when eating cereals is to watch the serving size. Most children and many adults serve themselves 50 to 65 percent more than the serving size on the package or have a second serving which ultimately increases the number of calories eaten.
One student several years ago in my nutrition course admitted to eating a very large bowl of cereal, one that would hold three to four servings.
Paid subscribers can view the entire list of cereals reviewed at the Consumer Reports Website or for free at My Fox Twin Cities.
The question came up in class about what were the best and safest seafoods to eat considering all of the concerns about mercury and other contaminants in our seafood sources.
When picking seafood one needs to consider:
1. The type of Fish
2. The nutrient benefits of the Fish
3. The potential for contaminants in the Fish
4. The food raising practices of how the fish are farmed.
5. The nutritional needs or status and the size of the person e.g. pregant woman, elderly or child.
American Heart Association’s Original Recommendations about Fish
The American Heart Association recommends that people eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.
Contaminants in Fish and Shell Fish
Despite their valuable qualities, fish can pose considerable health risks when contaminated with substances such as metals (e.g., mercury and lead), industrial chemicals (e.g., PCBs) and pesticides (e.g., DDT and dieldrin).
Many of our oceans, lakes and rivers are now known to be surprisingly tainted with these contaminants. As a result, some fish are sufficiently contaminated that Environmental Defense recommends limited or no consumption.
American Heart Association’s Recommendations about Fish by Stage of Life
The benefits and risks of eating fish vary depending on a person’s stage of life. In addition eating a variety of fish will help minimize any potentially adverse effects due to environmental pollutants.
Children and pregnant women are advised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to:
Avoid eating those fish with the potential for the highest level of mercury contamination (e.g., shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish);
Eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) per week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury (e.g., canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, catfish);
Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in local lakes, rivers and coastal areas.
For middle-aged and older men and postmenopausal women, the benefits of fish consumption far outweigh the potential risks when the amount of fish are eaten is within the recommendations established by the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency.
Safe Fish and Seafish
According to the Environment Defense Fund, it is generally safe to eat 4 or more meals per month of the following fish and seafish:
Anchovies
Clams
Crab, king (U.S.)
Crab
Snow/tanner
Crawfish (U.S.)
Haddock (trawl)
Herring, Atlantic
Lobster, American/Maine
Mackerel, Atlantic
Mussel, blue
Oysters (farmed)
Salmon, wild (Alaska)
Sardines
Scallops, bay (farmed)
Shrimp, pink (Oregon)
Squid
Tilapia (Latin America)
Tilapia (U.S.)
Trout, rainbow (farmed)
EWG’s Tuna Calculator
Visit the Environmental Working Group’s Tuna Calculator to figure out how much Tuna you could consume in a week.
Parents are one of the greatest influences on their children’s eating habits. This has been confirmed in a new study published this summer.
According to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis parents who providing fruits for snacks and serving vegetables at dinner can shape a preschooler’s eating patterns for his or her lifetime.
Researcher Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., a professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work found when parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children. On the other hand, when parents eat and give their children high fat snacks or soft drinks, children learn these eating patterns instead.
I firmly believe if we teach our children how to make healthy choices, about good health, nutrition and being active; these will help them to develop healthy habits and lifestyle choices to they can be healthy for a lifetime.
I think one of the best things about Madagascar the Movie (2005) was the song by King Julian, “I Like To Move It.” It is just one of those infectious songs that gets people up and moving. I know that it got my kids up dancing.
I am hoping with the release of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa this November, that the film and health industry will realize the potential of the “Move it! Move it!” song to use it as a great incentive to get kids (and grownups) up and moving.
Here is the clip with the original King Julian, voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen:
There is so much in the news about the increasing rates childhood obesity and preventing childhood obesity. Raising a Healthy Child may be one of the greatest challenges that parents and caregivers face.
The best way to prevent childhood obesity is pretty simple, you focus on two health promoting habits.
Teach children how to make healthy, nutritious food choices.
Teach children how to be active each day.
Teaching children how to make good healthy food choices, how to be active every day involving others and making it fun is giving them a GIFT to last a lifetime.
Give Your Child the GIFT of Health
Remember that raising a healthy child or healthy children can be simple when you focus on giving your child the GIFT of Health.
With two young daughters and knowing the young girls in particular can start worrying about their weight as early as age 5-6, I am very concerned about the impact the media has on our youth. They estimate that average US girl has the opportunity to see over 77,000 commercials by the time she is 12 years old.
Dove’s Onslaught Ad takes a look at how the fashion and beauty industry advertising is having an impact on our children, in particular our young girls.
Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does.
This advertisement from Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty shows many of the fashion images that a young girl will be exposed to in the media.
While I like Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, but they are still in the business themselves of selling beauty products.
There has been some debate going on in regards to the terms that should be used to indicate a child’s weight status.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently revised recommendations for Vitamin D based in new information indicating that children need twice as much Vitamin D as originally thought.
For many people, eating vitamin D-fortified foods and being exposed to sunlight are needed to maintaining a healthy vitamin D status.
Results from a study released this week by Consumer Reports found that only four of the 27 cereals tested rank as “very good.” Those that were judged to be “very good” are Cheerios, Kix, Life and Honey Nut Cheerios.
Visit the Environmental Working Group’s 
Parents are one of the greatest influences on their children’s eating habits. This has been confirmed in a new study published this summer.
There is so much in the news about the increasing rates childhood obesity and preventing childhood obesity. Raising a Healthy Child may be one of the greatest challenges that parents and caregivers face.
