Make HealthyEating

for Kids!FunFun

The “Food” Fight: Recognizing theProblemHealthy eating is more importantthan ever before. More and morekids are becoming overweight everyday. The extra pounds “weigh themdown,” both physically and emotion-ally making them vulnerable to seri-ous illnesses (like diabetes, heartproblems, and many others) that canaffect their quality of life well intothe future. It also makes it difficultfor them to keep up with peers andthey are often shunned or teased,which impacts their body image, self-esteem, social development, andemotional well-being. This can leadto long-term emotional problems.

Fruit vs. FruitCake: Nutrition IsKeyEating healthy is a key element ofstaying healthy, much like exerciseand genes. But it’s easier said thandone. Our taste buds are temptedaround every corner and busy

schedules often make it hard to sitdown to regular homemade mealsaround the family dinner table. It’stempting to grab some fast food out-side of homewhen we are in a rush,and ourincreasinglyinactivelifestyles ruboff on ourkids, reinforc-ing a tenden-cy to eatmore andexercise less.

Ingredients forHealthy EatingThere are several things we can do tochange that cycle and help our kidsdevelop healthy eating habits.

1. Two Bites Don’t Makea Wrong: Eating the RightAmount of the Right Foods

• Teach Kids the Virtues ofNutritionNot eating too much, or too muchof the “wrong” foods can be hard,especially for youngsters, who donot know enough about nutritionto make healthy choices. Teachchildren some simple facts (seeFood Facts below) about nutritionand calories to make it easier.Encourage them to read up ontheir own to discover why it’s

important to eat healthily and howgood nutrition can affect theirhealth, well-being, and relation-ships with others today and for therest of their lives.

Also, set an example by demon-strating healthy eating with thefoods you buy and the meals youserve around the dinner table.Finally, don’t forget to make surethat kids combine healthy foodswith plenty of regular physicalactivity.

• Reinforce the Message andPour a Healthy Serving ofFun Into ItRemind children regularly why it isimportant for them to eat health-ily. Because eating right can seemlike a chore at times, to make itmore of a treat, invent somesimple, creative ways to make itfun and reward kids for sticking togood eating habits (see HealthyEating Guide below). Make themfeel like a part of a team effortwhen it comes to all aspects ofeating.

2. It’s Not Always WhatYour Kids Are Eating…Sometimes It’s What’sEating YOUR KIDS…

• “Comfort Food” – TheEmotional Triggers ofOvereatingSometimes a bigger reason lurksbehind a child’s unhealthy eatinghabits. With the complexity of ourmodern world, children face con-stant pressures from all directionsand often find themselves over-whelmed. Bullying at school, aca-demic pressure, problems withfriends, dating woes, loss of a lovedone, divorce, or fear of war andterrorism – these and many otherpressures can cause a lot of stress.Like adults, children handle stressdifferently. Some reach for thecookie jar, turning to “comfortfood” when they feel anxious,frightened, lonely, or depressed.

You can substitute the comfort andsupport your children may be look-ing for in food by staying activelyinvolved in their lives, attuned totheir thoughts and feelings. Talking

through problems with your kidsand giving them positive reinforce-ment can diminish reliance on“comfort food,” helping them findmore healthy ways to resolve issues.

It is important to keep in mind toothat overeating is not the only slip-pery slope emotional problems canlead to. The opposite can alsooccur – under tremendous pressureto fit in, some kids under-eat orstarve to achieve what they consid-er a “desirable” body image. It isimportant to be aware and on thelookout for this extreme as well.

Overeating or undereating ona regular basis may signal severeemotional distress or an eatingdisorder. Eating disorders havebecome more and more commonamong kids in recent years. Forwarning signs and steps you cantake if your child is struggling withan eating disorder, see Spottingand Handling a Severe EmotionalProblem/Eating Disorder below.

• NATIONAL FAMILY MONTH™A Recipe for ChangeSitting down to dinner as a familyis not only a good way to keep aneye on what your kids are eating.It is also one of the most effective

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ways to find out what they arefeeling. Sharing family meals is anopportunity to ensure they are eat-ing nutritious meals, while alsostaying on top of what’s going onin their lives, so you can providesupport and valuable advice thatcan help steer them in the rightdirection as they work to overcomeproblems.

National Family Month™ (whichruns between Mother’s Day andFather’s Day) is a great time tostart a year-long habit of spendingmore time eating home-cookedmeals together. It is a great occa-sion for parents to reconnect withtheir kids, build stronger bonds,and maintain closeness. NationalFamily Month was created byKidsPeace*, a children’s charity withmore than 50 centers nationwideand over a century of experience inhelping young people overcomethe crises and everyday problemsof growing up.

Food FactsDaily calories different groups ofchildren need to stay healthy(depending on activity level):

Girls Boys

Ages 2-3 1,000 – 1,400 1,000 – 1,400

Ages 4-8 1,200 – 1,800 1,400 – 2,000

Ages 9-13 1,600 – 2,200 1,800 – 2,600

Ages 14-18 1,800 – 2,400 2,200 – 3,200

Food Pyramid

Fun food trivia:• Carrots give you night vision:

Vitamin A is known to prevent“night blindness”, and carrotsare loaded with Vitamin A.

• Almonds are members of thepeach family.

EAT, DRINK AND BE HEALTHY by Walter C. Willett, M.D. Copyright © 2001 by the Presidentand Fellows of Harvard College. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster Source,

a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., NY.

White rice,white bread and pasta, potatoes,

and sweets

Red meat,butter

Dairy or calciumsupplement, 1-2 times/day

Fish, poultry, eggs, 0-2 times/day

Vegetables (in abundance) Fruits, 2-3 times/day

Daily exercise and weight control

Whole grain foods(at most meals)

Plant oils (olive, canola, soy,corn, sunflower, peanut, and other

vegetable oils)

Nuts, legumes, 1-3 times/day

Healthy EatingGuide• Take time out to sit down with

your family for a wholesome, nutri-tious homemade meal together –“Family Dinner Nights” two or threetimes a week are a good start.

• Make food-consciousness fun –prepare shopping lists with essen-tial items from each food groupand ask your kids to participate.

• Shop frequently and focus onfresh fruits and veggies overprocessed or ready-made products.

• Involve your kids in groceryshopping – clever games like a“treasure hunt” for ingredients ofa healthy recipe with points,“prizes,” or extra allowance canhelp get them in the spirit.

• Take part in team efforts as afamily to prepare a differenthealthy and tasty dish each night.

• Gradually reduce high-fatsnacks and junk food in yourhome, as well as fast-food – tominimize resistance, create anoccasional “fast-food family night”to reward your kids for sticking tohealthy food the rest of the time.

• Set a good example by eatinghealthy meals and portions – shar-ing a fun “healthy food fact” atevery meal helps reinforce soundfood choices.

• Take advantage of family mealsto talk to your kids about their day,experiences, problems, and triumphs,offering support and advice that canhelp them overcome hurdles.

The “Comfort Food”Substitute• Talk to your kids, especially if you

suspect they may be struggling witha persistent, severe emotional issue.

• Discuss the feelings andthoughts that may be leadingyour child to certain behaviors oreating patterns.

• Don’t be judgmental – offer yourkids unconditional love and sup-port, assuring them of their value.

• Always keep the lines of com-munication open and let yourkids know they can come to youanytime with anything.

• Encourage your kids to sharetheir feelings and concernsinstead of holding them in or try-ing to deny them.

• Direct your kids to KidsPeace’swww.TeenCentral.Net – aunique, anonymous problem-solv-ing web site – where they can getmore tips on eating healthy, aswell as a sympathetic ear, a helpinghand from an expert, or feedbackfrom peers when struggling with atough problem. TeenCentral.Netis SAFE and FREE.

Spotting and Handling aSevere EmotionalProblem/Eating Disorder

• Watch out for:

• Eating frequently andconsuming more food than isnecessary to feel full

• Binge eating (eating largequantities of food in shortperiods of time), often insecrecy, while feeling out ofcontrol

• Extreme concern with weightand body shape and intensefear of weight gain

• Sudden unexplained intenseweight gain

• Sudden unexplained abnormalweight loss

• Feelings of shame, disgust orguilt after a binge

• Purging (self-induced vomiting,laxative or diuretic abuse), fast-ing or compulsive exercise

• Slowed heart rate and lowblood pressure

• Muscle loss and weakness• Heart irregularity or failure due

to electrolyte imbalances anddehydration; gastrointestinalproblems, such as stomachrupture, esophageal inflamma-tion or rupture, stomach ulcers;tooth decay and staining

• If you suspect your child may havean eating disorder, seek help froma family doctor or contactKidsPeace (www.kidspeace.org).

• Another excellent site to visit forcomplete information on eatingdisorders is http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

This yearlong “Make Healthy Eating Fun forKids” campaign is supported by KidsPeace,TeenCentral.Net, Mass Connections, Pactiv,Quaker Oats, and Tropicana.

*KidsPeace is a national children’s charitywith 63 centers nationwide, which has beenworking for over a century to help kids andfamilies live healthier, happier lives. If youwould like to make a donation to support this campaign or kids in crisis acrossAmerica, visit www.kidspeace.org.KidsPeace exists to give kids peace.

Additional resources:For more information on eating disorders for both adults and children please visit:http://www.kidspeace.orghttp://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org