By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN
October 28th, 2011
ENC hosted a roundtable on October 24 and 25th to discuss obesity and nutrition in children. Participants included research and clinical experts from Harvard, University of Illinois and University of Missouri, two Registered Dietitians – a school nutrition director and a private practice practitioner. We had a great discussion about strengths and gaps in current research, nutrition in schools, counseling strategies and overall nutrition issues. It is clear that the school nutrition program is working hard to improve children’s nutrition, but what happens when they go home? We also discussed that more studies have been completed in adults but not children. At best guess we assume that the adult studies can translate to child nutrition.
These conversations are good to have especially with the researchers and practitioners. It really brings perspective to areas that each can contribute a great deal of information. This can lead to future ideas for research and health related materials we can provide our health professionals for their patients. ENC will continue to promote overall health, including fighting the obesity epidemic. We know eggs have a great role in child nutrition, affordable, 70 calories and full of valuable nutrients.
Tags: childhood nutrition, childhood obesity, eggs
By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
July 20th, 2011
I think it’s a natural instinct to want to give your child a good start to life. In doing so, one tries to select and prepare healthy foods which will start the child on a path toward becoming a strong and healthy adult. However, the days of preparing foods from scratch are gone. Today’s parents are challenged to balance the benefits of convenience with those of nutrition and cost. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more difficult to make an informed selection in a marketplace that is stocked with foods screaming healthy claims but are not really nutrient dense.
In this regard, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) has made a first attempt to establish uniform standards for marketing and advertising to kids by member companies. Previously all member companies had their own standards so this move toward uniform standards will give parents some assurance that the food they choose is not packed with unnecessary excesses in sodium, sugar, saturated and trans- fats. The standards affect foods in the following categories: dairy; grains; fruits and vegetables; soups and meal sauces; seeds; nuts, nut butters and spreads; meat, fish and poultry; mixed dishes; and prepared main dishes and meals, such as macaroni and cheese, with each category having its own criteria. If approved, the new CFBAI standards, will affect at least 1/3 of the products now advertised as food for children requiring them to improve their nutrient profile.
Since taste sells, prepared foods have often increased their appeal at the expense of health. This has led to a backlash against prepared foods, which have been blamed for many of our societies’ ills. In fact, it is not the technology but the competitive need to attract the largest market that is the problem. By instituting the agreement, foods designed for children will be more like the food that we would have made if we had had the time and skill to prepare them. This agreement, although not as strict as those recommended by the Interagency Working Group earlier this year, can help children to appreciate the taste of nutrient dense foods so they can grow up to be adults who appreciate the taste of simple flavors and voluntarily limit excessive intake.
Take a look at these other articles on the recent news:
- ABC News: Companies Propose Curbing Junk Food Ads for Kids
- US News & World Report: Food Industry Sets Standards for Advertising to Kids
- LA Times: Consumer Confidential: New limit on food ads, ‘cramming’ is costly, Spotify arrives
Tags: childhood nutrition, healthy eating
By Mitch Kanter, Ph.D.
March 25th, 2011
Hi Readers - As you may have noticed, we have changed our blog name to Nutrition Unscrambled. Enjoy!
I was recently made aware of a blog called Raise Healthy Eaters. The site looks very good, and it offers a number of excellent tips on healthy eating for kids. A recent post discussed various nutritional myths, many of which were aimed at the micronutrient needs of children.
If you’re interested in learning more about healthy eating for children, this blog is worth checking out. And while we’re on the topic of healthy eating for children, a couple of recent studies you should be aware of are:
Krebs NF, Gao D, Gralla J, et al. Efficacy and safety of a high protein, low carbohydrate diet for weight loss in severely obese adolescents. J Pediatr 2010.
The study demonstrated that severely obese adolescents who followed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet had significantly lower body mass index (BMI) after 13 weeks and were also able to maintain weight loss after six months versus those who followed a low-fat diet. The obese adolescents who followed the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet also experienced greater fat mass loss and reductions in triglyceride levels.
Leidy HJ, Racki EM. The addition of a protein-rich breakfast and its effect on acute appetite control and food intake in ‘breakfast skipping’ adolescents. Int J Obs 2010.
These researchers examined the impact of a protein-rich breakfast on adolescents who traditionally skipped breakfast. When the study participants ate a protein-rich breakfast the researchers observed that the teens were less hungry and ate approximately 130 fewer calories at lunch.
It continues to amaze me that nearly one in three American children are overweight or obese, which increases their risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. More and more research is suggesting that the high carbohydrate eating practices that have been so prevalent in the U.S. for many years may be exacerbating the problem. Newer studies suggesting the benefits of higher protein/lower carb diets, such as those cited above are provocative, and worth considering.
Tags: childhood nutrition, eggs, low fat, nutrition facts, nutrition myths, protein
