Kids Nutrition in Question?
by Robin Peglow, M.A., H.H.C.



What are kids eating? The question hangs heavy because in part we know the answer and don’t want to think about it. We feel that if we know, we become responsible.

We are responsible. Each one of us has a responsibility to children’s health, whether it is in our actions and foods we choose, or the education and foods we make available to kids.

Some Statistics to Shed Light:
“Poor Eating Habits Evident in Our Children. A study from the medical journal, Pediatrics, surveyed 3,307 children, two to 19 years of age in the United States. Only one percent, that is 33 children, met all recommendations for the Food Guide Pyramid. Those that met all recommendations had nutrient intakes above the recommended dietary allowances, and their diet was generally too high in fat.” How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It! Christine Wood M.D.

So not only are many of our children undernourished, the ones that get enough are only doing so out of excess!

Also from Dr. Wood’s book…”It has been estimated that a poor diet and lack of activity contribute to about 300,000 preventable deaths in the United States, or about 1,000 deaths per day. This is second only to smoking-related deaths.”

What Can I Do?
It begins with you. You can help children develop and maintain healthy eating for life. What do you eat? If you are a parent and your main foods are chips, ice cream, and pasta, your child will likely eat the same. If you skip meals or often express that you look fat, that could become your child’s perception too.

How would you describe your relationship with food? What about your body?

Body image is in part a learned behavior, and adults influence children more than we imagine.

Tips for Healthy Kids
1. Sit Down With Your Children: Eat meals together whenever possible. There is little benefit to you running around the kitchen trying to be sure everyone gets fed. One of the best ways to role model is by showing your child that you enjoy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains by eating them yourself.
2. Value Meals: (no not McDonalds!) Make meals special by focusing on conversation and being interested in one another — focus on the positives and save conflict for another time.
3. Overdose on Veggies: What may feel like overeating vegetables may be about right for your required daily amounts for vitamins and minerals. Eat a variety and eat them often.
4. Learn and Teach: Read books, check online, call a Nutrition specialist and then share what you learn with your family — or better, ask your kids to research too. Get them involved in the process — lecturing doesn’t work.
5. Keep Food Simple: You may feel at a loss as to what to eat — how to cook. There are great cookbooks emphasizing vegetables (Moosewood cookbooks) and www.Allrecipes.com is a fun resource if you want to try a new veggie — type it in and it will show you recipes using that food! Take a cooking class, experiment with new recipes. If it flops, who cares? Really.
6. One Step At a Time: For change to be lasting it needs to be well thought out, supported, and gradual. Take action but don’t rush — you have time to achieve all your health goals.

Other resources include Healthy Kids by Marilu Henner and Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, Zand, Walton, Rountree.

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