Ed Bauman, PhD

If we really are what we eat, then what happens to children who eat processed, refined, and fast food in their formative years? We see the answer all around us…obesity. Is obesity reversible? Absolutely! As soon as families learn how to eat fresh, real foods and break addictive junk food habits, weight gainers become big time weight losers and fitter kids. Obesity doesn’t have a chance to thrive when healthy foods, fun activities, and exercise are integrated into family and school lifestyles.

Obesity is the fastest-rising health problem in the US; the Surgeon General has declared obese and unfit children an epidemic. Children today are 10 pounds heavier on average than they were 30 years ago. The prevalence of overweight among children six to eleven years old increased nearly fourfold from 1963-2000. Among adolescents, those twelve to nineteen years old, the prevalence of overweight increased more than threefold from 1966-2000 (Ogden et al., 2002). From 1979-1999, national costs associated with childhood obesity went from $35 million to $127 million. In 2006, health costs associated with obesity in the general population were $93 billion, with a considerable portion of that related to children’s obesity.

Overweight children face a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea, early maturation, and psychological problems (Surgeon General, 2001). Obese children are also hospitalized more often than children with healthy weight (Wang et al., 2002). Because overweight children are likely to become overweight adults, these children are more liable to suffer from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.

The emphasis on eating whole natural foods, the kind our grandparents ate, has greatly diminished in our culture. Likewise, time spent preparing, enjoying, and eating food as a family has dwindled to an all-time low. Add to this the complex social and environmental factors that impact our children’s ability to make healthy decisions about eating and physical activity and you have a recipe for obesity and poor health.

What Is Causing this Epidemic?

Primary culprits in the childhood obesity epidemic are fast food and soda, high in fat and sugar, respectively. According to a study published in the January 2003 issue of Pediatrics, every day nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4-19 eat fast food, which in many cases packs on about six extra pounds per year. Other findings suggest that fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. The availability of soda and junk food on school campuses is a growth industry. In 2002, the New York Times reported that $750 million is spent annually selling snacks and processed foods in schools. Obviously, the profits expected from this investment are tremendous.

Children see about 40,000 commercials on TV each year. Children under eight don’t have critical thinking skills and so don’t realize that ads are created to convince people to buy products. Very young children don’t distinguish between a commercial and television programming. A large portion of advertising on the programs children watch is for foods high in fat, sugar, and calories – including Froot Loops, Eggo Waffles, and Hershey’s products featuring super-hero images. McDonald’s has advertised a Barbie “fun time play set” that featured junk foods as characters in children’s books!

Children spend an average of four hours a day in front of a TV or computer. Many schools have replaced or cut back on physical education, and walking and cycling have been replaced by automobile travel for all but the shortest distances.

Despite efforts in the legislature to establish bans on the sale of many foods and beverages, and initiatives to ensure higher nutrition standards in schools, junk food, processed foods, and sugar are ubiquitous. This puts the burden of restraint to avoid unhealthy foods that can harm children’s health on parents.

The Solution: Eat for Health!

There are many things that parents can do to influence children to develop healthy food choices. Here are ten great Eating for Health^TM suggestions to overcome childhood obesity.

• Buy organic.  Purchase organic fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, eggs, butter, meats, chicken, and fresh, wild caught fish whenever possible. Children’s bodies are very sensitive to chemicals found in conventionally grown food

• Healthy eating reminders. Teach respect for healthy whole foods by buying them and giving children easy access to them.

• Replace offending foods. Substitute unsalted tortilla chips for salty refined chips or veggie chips, whole-grain bread for white bread. Start with light textures – like chips, veggie sticks, and whole grain crackers without trans fats. Replace sugary cold cereals with whole grain cereals such as Kashi, and white rice with brown rice. You can mix the two together to start. Eliminate candy and soda, replacing them with fruit and 100% juice diluted with water.

• Encourage children to taste everything, but never force or pressure them.

Don’t use food as a reward, punishment, or bribe.

• Eat meals together at the table as a family at least 3-4 days a week.

• Involve children in meal planning and grocery shopping and cooking. Have one child accompany you, meet with produce staff, and sample produce, then share what he or she has learned with siblings. Rotate so that every child becomes involved. Focus on small gradual changes in eating and activity patterns.

• Plan family activities that involve exercise: for example, hiking, biking, and swimming.

• Make mealtime fun. Sing songs, make up names for various dishes, and let children serve adults at some meals.

• Vary the mealtime location. Have an indoor or backyard picnic and let children invite friends.

• Have theme meals. On Mexican night, for example, wear colorful clothing and use colorful dishes. Serve brown rice, black beans, and chicken with chopped and grated veggies. Use paper place mats and let children make decorations to enhance the experience. An omelet bar is another fun family meal idea.

New behaviors take time. Be patient with yourself and your children. Be proud of even the smallest improvements. If you veer away, just recommit yourself to eating healthy and start over. Every day is a new day to begin again.

Dr. Edward Bauman, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts.

www.baumancollege.org/articles.