Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Parents

Childhood Obesity is on the Rise

The number of overweight children in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. Approximately 10 percent of 4 and 5 year old children are overweight, double that of 20 years ago. Overweight is more prevalent in girls than boys and in older preschoolers (ages 4-5) than younger (ages 2-3).

Obesity increases even more as children get older. For ages 6 to 11, at least one child in five is overweight. Over the last two decades, this number has increased by more than 50 percent and the number of obese children has nearly doubled.


For most children, overweight is the result of unhealthy eating patterns (too many calories) and too little physical activity. Since these habits are established in early childhood, efforts to prevent obesity should begin early.

Determining if a Child is Overweight

Parents should not make changes to a child's diet based solely on perceptions of overweight. All preschoolers exhibit their own individual body structure and growth pattern. Assessing obesity in children is difficult because children grow in unpredictable spurts. It should only be done by a health care professional, using the child's height and weight relative to his previous growth history.

Helping Overweight Children

Weight loss is not a good approach for most young children, since their bodies are growing and developing. Overweight children should not be put on a diet unless a physician supervises one for medical reasons. A restrictive diet may not supply the energy and nutrients needed for normal growth and development.

For most very young children, the focus should be to maintain current weight, while the child grows normally in height.

The most important strategies for preventing obesity are healthy eating behaviors, regular physical activity, and reduced sedentary activity (such as watching television and videotapes, and playing computer games). These preventative strategies are part of a healthy lifestyle that should be developed during early childhood. They can be accomplished by following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Dietary Guidelines provide general diet and lifestyle recommendations for healthy Americans ages 2 years and over (not for younger children and infants). The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines can be found on www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. Following these guidelines can help promote health and reduce risk for chronic diseases.

Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Parents and caregivers can help prevent childhood obesity by providing healthy meals and snacks, daily physical activity, and nutrition education. Healthy meals and snacks provide nutrition for growing bodies while modeling healthy eating behavior and attitudes. Increased physical activity reduces health risks and helps weight management. Nutrition education helps young children develop an awareness of good nutrition and healthy eating habits for a lifetime.

Children can be encouraged to adopt healthy eating behaviors and be physically active when parents:

Focus on good health, not a certain weight goal. Teach and model healthy and positive attitudes toward food and physical activity without emphasizing body weight.
Focus on the family. Do not set overweight children apart. Involve the whole family and work to gradually change the family's physical activity and eating habits.
Establish daily meal and snack times, and eating together as frequently as possible. Make a wide variety of healthful foods available based on the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children. Determine what food is offered and when, and let the child decide whether and how much to eat.
Plan sensible portions. Use the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children as a guide.

What Counts as One Serving?

Grain Group

1 slice of bread
1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta
1/2 cup of cooked cereal
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
Vegetable Group

1/2 cup of chopped raw or cooked vegetables
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
Fruit Group

1 piece of fruit or melon wedge
3/4 cup of juice
1/2 cup of canned fruit
1/4 cup of dried fruit

Milk Group

1 cup of low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt
2 ounces of cheese

Meat Group

2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish
1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as 1 ounce of meat.

Fats and Sweets

Limit calories from these.
Four-to-6 year-olds can eat these serving sizes. Offer 2-to-3 year-olds less, except for milk. Two-to-6 year-old children need a total of 2 servings from the milk group each day.

Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV. Eating in front of the TV may make it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness and may lead to overeating.
Buy fewer high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Help children understand that sweets and high-fat treats (such as candy, cookies, or cake) are not everyday foods. Don't deprive children of occasional treats, however. This can make them more likely to overeat.
Avoid labeling foods as "good" or "bad." All foods in moderation can be part of a healthy diet.
Involve children in planning, shopping, and preparing meals. Use these activities to understand children's food preferences, teach children about nutrition, and encourage them to try a wide variety of foods.

Make the most of snacks. Continuous snacking may lead to overeating. Plan healthy snacks at specific times. Include two food groups, for example, apple wedges and whole grain crackers. Focus on maximum nutrition - fruits, vegetables, grains, low-sugar cereals, lowfat dairy products, and lean meats and meat alternatives. Avoid excessive amounts of fruit juices, which contains calories, but fewer nutrients than the fruits they come from. A reasonable amount of juice is 4-8 ounces per day.
Encourage physical activity. Participate in family physical activity time on a regular basis, such as walks, bike rides, hikes, and active games. Support your children's organized physical activities. Provide a safe, accessible place outside for play.
Limit the amount of time children watch television, play video games, and work on the computer to 1 to 2 hours per day. The average American child spends about 24 hours each week watching television. Reducing sedentary activities helps increase physical activity.

source:https://www.health.ny.gov

healthy enough for breakfast ,but my hids considerit dessert

monday nights around our house is our dessert night.  This last week we made Dessert Taco’s.  That’s what my kids call them. But simply dessert tacos for us is Crepes and fruit.
 I love Crepes because you can literally pack them full of good stuff like strawberries and blueberries like we’ve done.  Warning… these are messy to eat.  So let your kids go outside with them and drip yogurt and strawberries all over themselves, and then hose them down.

We also eat crepes for dinner!  These lemon chicken parmesan crepes are our favorite!   So make extra crepes, and then you can also eat them for dessert, or dessert the next day.

 

           Our Dessert Taco Recipe is:                                                                                               

2 Eggs                                                                                                                                        

1/2 cup milk                                                                                                                                

1/2 cup water (or a little  more until it’s a consistency you like)                                                    

1/4 tsp salt                                                                                                                                      

2 TBL canola oil                                                                                                                            

1 cup whole wheat flour                                                                                                                   

Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto skillet and cook until both sides are browned and middle is cooked through.                                                                                                                                         

For the filling we used plain, greek, or vanilla yogurt and berries.                                                    

You could also use some creamy coconut frosting!  For that we used:                                      

  

                                                                                                                                                             

           1 can of coconut milk (the full fat kind, set in the fridge to chill and solidify overnight).  When you open the can, it should be solid. If it’s not solid, this may not work.  Scoop out solid coconut milk into a mixer and add 1/4 cup raw, organic sugar and 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract.  Whip until fluffy

So enjoy this beautiful day, and hurry with the berries while they are in season!                                                                                                                                                                  

Pack-able Sandwiches on a Stick

Do you ever get tired of packing the same old sandwich in a lunch or for an outing?  The thing about sandwiches is that if you assemble ahead of time, they almost always end up soggy.



  There is pretty much nothing worse than a soggy sandwich – right?  When you separate the sandwich ingredients it stays fresh, your kids can choose what they want to include, and there are so many fun ways to assemble!  We love using mini-cutters to make designs that are fun for kids.



 Skewering your sandwich ingredients is fast, fun, and for kids who normally don’t eat certain veggies on their sandwiches, they just might when it’s on a stick!

You can get creative and stack any type of sandwiches this way.  The key to making a sandwich healthy for your little ones is to make sure:

You are using 100% whole grain bread
You include a protein (if using deli meat, watch for sodium content, or cut your own from a home cooked turkey)
Good proteins include: Peanut butter or other nut butters, meat, a bean spread like hummus, etc.
Include fruits or vegetables
Some of our sandwich favorites are: Cucumbers, lettuce or spinach, tomatoes, bell pepper slices and thinly sliced apple or pear.
You can make these for lunch at home to mix things up a bit, pack them for a school lunch, or take them on a picnic or outing with you! Start with your favorite ingredients.  We switched things up a bit instead of including regular sandwich ingredients.  We have:

Whole Wheat Bread
Olives
Cheese
Deli Meat
Apples
Pea Pods
Golden Cherry Tomatoes

Pack them up for on the go!

Or serve them up at home for a fun lunch!

These are some great mini-cutters to make fun shapes with your food!
source:http://www.superhealthykids.com/

Top 10 Tips To Make Your Baby’s Skin Fair

Motherhood is the most magical and joyous phase in a woman’s life. Once you become a mother, your priorities change. The little one’s welfare becomes your goal in life. One of the things most mothers wish for is fair skin for their babies.



 Wondering how to make baby skin fair? There are many ways by which you can bless your baby with glowing and fair skin for a lifetime. All you need to do is follow some basic steps to ensure that your baby’s sensitive skin remains healthy and glowing.

1. Hot Oil Massage:

Massaging the new baby with hot oil is something most mothers know about. I am sure your grandmother mentioned several times the benefits of an oil massage. But did she tell you that the benefits extend much beyond stronger bones and relaxed muscles? Maybe she did not. Yes, it is a fact that baby skin needs such pampering on a daily basis. A hot oil massage adds an extra layer of moisturization to the sensitive skin of the baby and ensures proper maintenance of oils in the skin. With regular hot oil massage, your baby’s skin will glow, blossom and take on a mild pinkish tint. This is unlikely to happen if your baby’s skin is dry and tends to peel. So, make sure to give your baby the leisure of a perfect hot oil massage each day.

2. Optimum Bathing Temperature:
Just as it is essential for adults not to expose their skin to excessively hot or cold water, it is likewise essential for the little baby’s skin too. Dryness can induce dullness and darkness in your baby’s skin. So, pamper your little angel with the lukewarm water bath. Unregulated water temperature spruces out life from the delicate skin of the baby.

3. Baby Scrub:

Do I sound over ambitious when I say baby scrubbing? If you think yes, let me take you through the basics of baby care. Babies have hair all over their body, including face and back. These hairs have weaker roots and may look unnatural too. A fine mixture of chickpea (besan), rose water, milk, baby oil and evenly grounded gram pulse makes a baby scrubber. Upon application this mixture scrubs away all the impurities and unwanted hair from the baby’s skin. It increases the radiance and improves the complexion of your child’s skin by increasing blood circulation.

4. Mild Body Pack:

Baby skin is ten times more sensitive than the skin of the adults. Environmental factors are totally new to the young ones after their warm nine months stay in the womb. Nurturing the super soft baby skin with a mild body pack once a week is a healthy way of blessing your baby with a rich sheen and evenly fair skin tone forever. Make a paste of sandalwood, turmeric, saffron and milk and apply it on your baby’s body. Leave it to dry for 10 minutes. This will make your child fairer and will also protect him/her against skin infections.

5. Moisturization:

This is an inevitable step in the chain of perfect baby skin care. Use the best brands to avoid any kind of irritation. Apply every 4 hours for best results. This will keep the baby’s complexion intact. It will also keep dryness at bay.

6. No To Soap:

Never use soap on your baby’s skin. Soap might peel out the skin, making it dull, dry, and dark. Instead use milk and rosewater. You can use glycerin baby bars and milk cream-rich toddler’s wash.

7. Regulated Sunbath:

It is essential for you to expose your child to the sun once in a while, but this should be a regulated affair. Leaving your little ones for too long in the sun can darken their skin beyond repair. You can also use a pram to save your child from direct sunlight.
8. The Magic Syrup:

Oh yes ladies, there is a magic syrup that is a sure-shot way to make your baby’s skin fairer—it is water! Never dehydrate your little one, it not only leads to a number of health issues, but also dehydrates the skin too.

9. Fruit Juice:

This is a magic mantra for babies above 3 months. Feeding your child with the goodness of grape juice will increase the sheen of the epidermis. Other fruits like apples and oranges are also good for improving the baby’s skin health from inside.

10. Baby Wipes:

Lastly, brushing and scrubbing your baby all the time can cause rashes and skin dryness. It is always advisable to use baby wipes rich in glycerin and milk cream. It is a better option to use such wipes for cleaning the mouth of your baby as well.

At the end of the day, it is all about a little more love and a little more care. A goodbye tip: never overdo, and shower your baby with love, no matter what her/his complexion is!

Hope now you know how to make baby skin fair naturally! Do you know any other tips to get fair skin for baby? Share them with us in the comments section below.
source:http://www.stylecraze.com/

8 Tips If Your Child Refuses To Eat

Every mother knows that for proper growth and development of her child needs healthy and versatile food. But after some unwritten rule that what is healthy and beneficial for a young child knows to be repulsive and distasteful….


Usually when your kid(s) refuses to eat and some parents may even blackmail their children: “if you do not eat Swiss chard you will not get chocolate!”

According to a recent research, this method does not bring any results, but there are few other effective strategies:
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                               

1. Let your child help you in the preparation of the meal. Two years old children enjoy making a mess in the kitchen, and if so let them do it during preparation and not during the meal.

2. If your kids make “Circus” on the table is credence to any great importance. Besides it does not look right in the eyes, but the point of view something else. You see, since a narrow focus on something else interesting to relax and have a real chance to eat some bites.

3. Do not insist the child to eat if he/she is too tired. First let’s take a break and then offer him/her a meal.

4. If he/she stubbornly refuses food, remove the bowl forcing him to sit for hours at the table. It has a counter-effect that makes your child irritable, and you mommy.

5. Try your culinary skills to show before the taster. Arrange the vegetables of different colors and different shapes because kids love out of the ordinary.

6. If the child does not want to eat mashed broccoli, do not immediately offer him the most beloved dish, because he/she will learn to manipulate you.

7. Mothers always be persistent and consistent. Only in this way you will achieve the desired goal. For that you do need great patience, but it pays.

8. Finally, try to turn the meal time into sweet fun. That doesn’t mean to bring a lot of toys on the table, instead fill the period with stories, songs and good fellowship with your little one and as reward you’ll get many kisses and sweet smiles that will make your day unique and irreplaceable.
Enjoy !
source:http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com