The most popular kids TV Network, Nickelodeon, should be ashamed of itself, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group, in its latest expose. The reason: Most of the ads running on the network are for food products that promote obesity, diabetes, and other health problems in young children.

This is especially irritating because the industry set up a self-regulatory body with the Better Business Bureau – the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) – several years ago. Once again, this goes to show that you can’t have the cat watching over the cream. Just as with the ill-fated Smart Choice Program, the nutrition benchmarks that this group have set are – how shall we say – very lenient.

CSPI evaluated the nutritional quality based on the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity’s (NANA) Model
School Wellness Policies on Physical Activity and Nutrition. It’s a standard supported by over 50 health, nutrition, and education organizations.

Here are some findings:

• Of 425 foods and beverages that were advertised, 267 (60%) were sub par nutritionally (too much sugar, salt or fat, for example).
• 25% of the products had excess sugar.
• None of Pepsico’s 10 products met the nutritional minimum.
• The only bright spot – the figures are slightly better than 4 years ago, when 90% of commercials were for junk food.

You can download the full report here (PDF)

What to do at the supermarket:

My mother recently reminded me how as a 7 year old tagging along on her grocery shopping trips I would pick up a box of cereal I had seen on Saturday Morning cartoons. In a serious tone I would tell her “We need to buy this, mom.” and then add “They said on TV that it’s good for you.” Most often, the box would find itself back on the supermarket shelf.

Luckily, in retrospect, my parents had good sense. And I hope you do too. Teach your children at an early age to read critically, to look for products with good values in nutrition labels. In breakfast cereal for example, sugar should be below 8 grams per serving, and fiber higher than 3 grams. By getting your children involved in the nutrition hunt, they will be more apt to choose better products together with you.

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Happy Father’s Day dear families!

Although this holiday is usually associated with buying dad a tie/electronic gizmo/golg club/fishing gear and enjoying a BBQ meal, we’d like to take a minute to ponder the paternal role in a family’s healthy eating habits.

Not just moms – Nutrition is a job for both mom and dad. If mom is serving up a salad and fish, but dad pops a frozen cheeseburger in the microwave, kids get a mixed message about what to eat. Even more subtle gestures, such as jokes about salads and refraining from brocolli at dinner tells the kids, especially boys, what is considered “manly” food, and what is for girls and sissies. It’s bad enough we have “Hungry Man” TV Dinners for guys and “Lean Cuisine” for gals.

Meal times – It’s hard to find time to sit together for a family meal every day. Breakfast is grab and go, lunch is at school/work, and dinnertime is often spent working extra hours, an evening shift, or stuck in traffic. However, multiple studies have shown that families that eat together often tend to grow more responsible teens that stay away from drugs, perform better at school, and in general make their dads proud. So make the effort, if not daily, at least on weekends, to eat together.

Snack time - There’s a lot of temptation when it comes to snacking. it seems like every place your turn, you can get a doughnut, bag of chips, and a 20 oz slurpee. Sure, these are convenient ways to calm a growling tummy on the road or when coming home after a long day out of the house. But with a few minutes of preparation, you and your kids can enjoy a healthy snack of carrot sticks, apple slices, strawberries, peanut butter filled celery sticks, and more.

Role model – If mom is the sole person charged with grocery shopping and food preparation, while dad’s job is just to comment on the dishes based on taste (and wash the plates after the meal), it will be very hard to switch from greasy, salty comfort foods to healthier fare. By participating in the preparation process, dads can learn alot about what works and what doesn’t. Plus, there’sa good chance the children will want to join in as well. And when kids help prepare a dish, there’s an increased chance they’ll try it too.

Exercise – If your idea of getting fit is getting off the La-Z-Boy to get some more ice cream before the next game starts on ESPN, what is junior going to think? How about spending time tossing a ball around outside? And no, Wii Fit does not count.

Vices – What kind of message do children get when they see dad drinking daily, smoking, and engaging in other habits that are hard to break?

To summarize, you dad, are a family breadwinner, but your responsibilities also include making sure it’s whole wheat bread, and that it’s serve with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean dairy and meat.

Moms – please forward to your hubbies…

good luck!

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From WebMD:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today launched the “My Pyramid for Preschoolers” Web site today in Chicago at the American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.

My Pyramid for Preschoolers is geared to the parent or other caregiver who makes most of the food choices for children aged 2-5.

Read More…

What you need to know:

Children as young as 2 years old can, and should be encouraged to, eat the same foods as their parents (with a few exceptions such as nuts). Starting early and exposing them to “adult food” will lessen the risk of “addictions” to specially formulated (ie sweetened) foods for kids. This of course assumes that the parents are eating healthfully.

What to do at the supermarket:

Here is a handy chart from the MyPyramid website with suggestions for more nutritious choices at the grocery store.

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photo credit: Steve & Jemma Copley

From a recent publication by the University of Michigan Health System:

Food does more than satisfy hunger; it provides fuel for the body and mind, too. So as you make a list of school supplies to buy for the upcoming school year, don’t forget to consider the items at your local supermarket that can also help prepare your child for the classroom.