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Nutritional Health

• 16% of American children are overweight or obese. This number has quadrupled since 1960, when only 4% of children were obese.
• Nine million children are at risk for developing chronic illnesses that may reduce the length and quality of life. Conditions include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.
• If a child is overweight at age six, his or her likelihood of adult obesity is more than 50%. If that child is overweight as an adolescent, there is a 70 to 80% chance that he or she will be overweight as an adult.
• The average teen spends almost 30 hours a week in front of the television.

• Between 5-10 million people have eating disorders, and experts estimate 1% of American teens have eating disorders.
• Anorexia and bulemia tend to affect girls more than boys, but 10% of people with eating disorders are boys.
• Eating disorders usually begin between 11 and 13 years of age.

• Do whatever you can to promote the self-esteem and self-respect of all of your children in intellectual, athletic, and social endeavors.
• Respect your child's appetite: children do not need to finish every meal.
• Avoid pre-prepared and sugared foods when possible.
• Limit the amount of high-calorie foods kept in the home.
• Skim milk may safely replace whole milk at 2 years of age.
• Do not provide food for comfort or as a reward.
• Do not offer sweets in exchange for a finished meal.
• Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV.
• Involve children in planning, shopping, and preparing meals.
• Encourage physical activity. Participate in family physical activity time on a regular basis, such as walks, bike rides, ball games, and other activities.
• Limit the amount of time children watch TV, play video games, and work on the computer to 1 - 2 hours per day.

• Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
• Pretzels (lightly salted or unsalted)
• Bagels with tomato sauce and lowfat cheese
• Flavored rice cakes
• Popcorn - air popped or lowfat microwave
• Veggies with lowfat or fat free dip
• Lowfat cottage cheese topped with fruit or spread on whole-wheat crackers
• Ice milk, lowfat frozen or regular yogurt (add skim milk, orange or pineapple juice, and sliced bananas or strawberries to make a lowfat milk shake)
• Frozen fruit bars
• Vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, fig bars, raisins
• Angel food cake topped with strawberries or raspberries and lowfat whipped cream
• String cheese