Matt Lauer of the Today Show interviews David Zinczenko of Eat This Not That to show parents how to help children make healthier choices when it come to meal and snack time.
Eat This Not That! for Kids is one of the books I have gotten for my daughters written to teach you how to be the leanest family on the block.
My daughters enjoy going through the book and discovering that many of the foods we are eating are in the “eat this” category and not in the “not that” category. They keep searching for more healthy options from the “eat this” list to add to what we purchase at the store, or health options for eating out. Eat This Not That! for Kids is available on Amazon.
In Fall 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched the My Pyramid for Preschoolers Website just for Preschoolers, children aged 2-5. The site encourages parents and caregivers to
Use MyPyramid to help your preschooler eat well, be active, and be healthy.
Customized MyPyramid for Your Preschooler
Visitors to the My Pyramid for Preschoolers Web site can “get a customized MyPyramid Plan for your preschooler” by entering the child’s first name, age, gender, and typical amount of daily activity. The site then generates a plan tailored to that child.
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.
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.
A new campaign with a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring characters from the Disney Classic, the Jungle Book was launched by the USDA, Food Nutrition and Consumer Services. This Public Service Announcement highlights the importance of balancing good nutrition and physical activity by emphasizing the “Bare Necessities” of healthy living and healthy eating.
One reason for the PSA is to encourage children to be eating more fruits and vegetables. Another is to encourage Moms to be encouraging healthy foods and being active.
The main purpose of the PSA is to send a message to families that leading a healthy lifestyle can help you be the best at everything you love to do.
The Reason for the Ad Council Public Service Announcement
Less than 25% of adolescents eat the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Few get regular physical activity. It is important to provide information and realistic tips for making and sustaining healthy choices for kids.
The notion that “Good Nutrition Can Lead to Great Things” reinforces that healthy eating and physical activity are fuel for a kid’s mind and body. This campaign motivates moms to encourage proper nutrition and physical activity for their families, emphasizing that a bright future starts with a healthy lifestyle.
Hopefully it also encourages the children to eat well and play more.
More information:
Ad Council. Nutrition Education. USDA, Food Nutrition and Consumer Services.
Eat This Not That! for Kids
Visitors to the My Pyramid for Preschoolers Web site can “get a customized MyPyramid Plan for your preschooler” by entering the child’s first name, age, gender, and typical amount of daily activity. The site then generates a plan tailored to that child.
You can raise a healthy eater by setting a good example and practicing positive habits. 
There has been some debate going on in regards to the terms that should be used to indicate a child’s weight status.
Parents are one of the greatest influences on their children’s eating habits. This has been confirmed in a new study published this summer.
