Tips to Help Keep Your Children from Bad Food Choices this summer!

For the first time in our history, American children may face a shorter expected lifespan than their parents. The cause? Obesity and unhealthy eating habits. Childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Today, one out of every three kids in the United States is overweight or considered obese.

Obesity is not about aesthetics or a few inches around the middle. It is about health. More kids are suffering from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other obesity-related health problems.

The weight impacts not only their current health status – obese children and adolescents are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems – but their future health. Childhood may be short, but obesity is often a lifelong problem.

Mercy suggests taking these steps to protect your children’s health this summer in the midst of backyard picnics and summer vacations:

• Model healthy habits- Kids notice what parents are snacking on and whether they are active. Set a good example, keep nutritious foods in the house and make them easily available

• Read food labels- Watch the amount of fats, salts and sugars your children eat. When shopping, compare labels. Do fat calories make up more than one-third of total calories? If so, pick a lowerfat option, especially if you’re worried about weight gain. Next, check the sodium content. For a healthy heart, limit daily sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams, which is less than a teaspoon. Finally, look at the carbohydrates. Healthy foods have more fiber and less sugar per grams of total carbohydrates. Fruits are an important exception.

• Increase activity- While active play helps; your child does not need to leave the house to burn calories. Make opportunities for activity daily, such as helping with vacuuming, dusting or raking leaves. Also, limit screen time, including TV, video games and computers.

• Get preventative care- Your child should be seen for yearly check-ups. That way, if the pediatrician sees the child’s weight

climbing faster than it should, the doctor can help the parent make changes early on.

• Plan ahead- Make sure you have a nutritious snack planned, whether it’s some cheese sticks, a low fat granola bar or a piece of fruit. Planning ahead for meals and keeping a shopping list can also help.

• Choose healthier fast food-Even with careful planning, most families sometimes need to eat on the go. Fortunately, today’s fast food restaurants offer reasonable choices. Choose apples instead of French fries or milk instead of soda.

• Buy more nutrition per dollar. When your kids finish a four dollar bag of Doritos, do they look around for another snack? Try replacing empty calories with nutritious choices like fruit. For extra savings, shop at a farmer ’s market and freeze seasonal produce for later.

If there is an upside to the issue of childhood obesity it is that the condition is both preventable and treatable. Children need healthy foods, physical activity and health education so that they can make responsible choices both now and in the future. After all, the health habits children learn today are the habits they will pass on to future generations.

To find a Mercy Health Physician near you, visit mercy.com or call 1-877-930-DOCS.