Information to Parents

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There seems to be an increasing case of childhood obesity in our surroundings recently.

Though the presence of these cute kids and teens bouncing up with their bellies made us giggle, the reality of their health condition is not amusing at all, having strong muscles and strapping body built are okay but being chubby is another story.

Considering the horror of the dreaded diseases in the future that come along with being overweight, parents should do something to control the foods that their kids consumed at all cost, tolerating them to devour on unhealthy foods is simply a bad parenting idea.

So what is the culprit of childhood obesity and how it can be prevented? 

There's a new study conducted in Yale University that sweeteners on junk foods might be one of the reasons of massive weight gain among children. Parents who tolerated their children to indulge on softdrinks, juices and snack bars are pushing their kids to succumb to dreadful illnesses in the future. 

Exposure of children to commercial ads on television, social networking sites like Youtube and Facebook might be another reason why some of them are attracted to appreciate foods low in nutrition and high in sugar and calories than natural home made foods.

So what are the foods that may trigger obesity among children and teens?

• Softdrinks and other soda beverages
• Commercial juice drinks
• Energy drinks
• Burgers, Pasta or any foods serve at the fastfood chains
• Sweetened cereals
• Sweet biscuits
• Ice cream

At Yale University, at least one study conducted citing commercial ads as the number one culprit of promoting unhealthy products from different food and beverage companies. Kelly Brownell, co-author of the report,  exclaimed his disgust towards these commercial advertisements, saying "Our children are being assaulted by these drinks that are high in sugar and low in nutrition, the companies are marketing them in highly aggressive ways".

Consequently, Yale University's Rudd Center for Policy and Obesity, created a website about sugary drinks (sugarydrinkfacts.org) to provide extended information to parents how to monitor their children's diet and what foods to serve for their growing up kids.

Alarm with the trouble it causes, some of the food companies already move forward to defend their marketing strategies on foods and beverages they manufactured. Coca-cola, through its spokesperson, made it clear that part of their worldwide company policies --- they never market softdrinks directly to children below 12 years old.

Sugarydrinkfacts.org admonished parents to monitor the lifestyle of their children. Watching television therefore is strongly discourage, if not, at least, minimize the exposure. According to the report, Parents can make a difference, they should teach and educate their children more on the right nutrition and do not simply yield to the demand of these kids. 

Parents should remember the following tips:

• Serve them with water instead of softdrinks and other commercial beverages.
• Buy or serve low-fat or non-fat milk if the children are over two years old already.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics said that children should be served only 4 to 6 ounces of 100% pure juice per day for children 1 to 6 years old and about 8 to 12 ounces for older children.
• Before buying any commercial foods, check and read the labels, children should not have more than 15 grams of sugar per day.
• Commercial Fruit drinks are just high in sugar as sodas and colas. If possible avoid them.
• Do not encourage children to eat in fast food restaurants.

In a report published by sugary drink facts, nutritional facts about beverages revealed that Welch juice is touted to be the only variety that has no artificial sugar, flavors and caffeine contents and has 50% real juice content.

Sources:

Health News
Yale University's Sugary Drinks Facts