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Greetings!
| Conference Addresses What Infants and Toddlers Are Eating |
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To address some of the causes of childhood obesity,
the conference showcased new data from the Feeding
Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS), a survey
commissioned by Gerber that examines the eating
habits and nutrient intakes of more than 3,000 U.S.
children ages
4 months to 24 months old. FITS found that many
infants and toddlers show signs of the unhealthful diet
adopted by much of the adult population. Some major
findings include:
·**Soda is being served to infants as young as 7
months old
·**In any given day, one third of toddlers 19-24
months are not consuming a vegetable and nearly 20
percent are not consuming any fruit.
·**French fries are the most commonly consumed
vegetable for toddlers aged 15-24 months
·**By 19-24 months, most toddlers consumed sweets,
desserts or salty snacks at least once a day
The conference examined the role of taste and smell in
guiding early food preferences. Julie A. Mennella, Ph.D.
reported that because the constantly changing flavor
profile of human milk reflects the mother's diet, breast
fed babies tend to be more accepting of a variety of
foods compared to formula-fed infants. "Amniotic fluid
and mother's milk reflect the culture into which the
child is born," said Dr. Mennella. "The type of foods
eaten by the mother, and hence the flavor principles of
the culture, are experienced by the baby long before
he or she tastes solid foods for the first time."
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| Strategies for Preventing Childhood Obesity |
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To identify factors that are predisposing young children
to unhealthy weight and chronic disease later in life,
researchers attending the conference focused on
parenting practices that can be leveraged to prevent
childhood obesity. Some of the messages for parents
and caregivers are:
·**Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible.
Research finds that in addition to promoting a vital
bonding between mother and child and imparting
important immunity to the infant, breastfeeding helps
to introduce babies to a wide variety of flavors, which
prepares the baby to accept and enjoy fruits and
vegetables;
·**A division of responsibility is recommended: Parents
are responsible for presenting children with healthful
food choices. Children are responsible for how much of
such foods they will eat. This division of responsibility
begins in infancy by letting the baby's appetite
determine how much to eat and when to stop;
·**Restaurant foods or fast foods are not appropriate
for infants or toddlers
·**In toddlers, replace sweets, snacks, soda or fries
with healthy alternatives such as fruits, vegetables and
milk.
·**With toddlers, start use a petite plate with small
servings and offer seconds only if the child requests;
·**Make physical activity a part of every day routine.
Set aside time for unstructured play and encourage
your child to move by actively playing with your child;
·**Limit TV viewing and, in particular, turn off the
television during meals.
·**Whenever possible, eat meals together as a family
·**Go for a walk with your child as often as possible
·**The eating and activity of a parent speaks louder
to your child than anything you say
Eat For Good Health Activities Book, Grades 1-4 »
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| Walker's Daily Logs |
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We have been asked time and again for a Walker's Daily
Log to keep track of your 10,000 Step Program and so
here they are!
These logs are available with the Shape Up America!
imprint or your organization's if ordered in bulk. We will
have them available in small quanities shortly.
Contact Us For Customized Gifts! »
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| Walking for Fitness ( Now in Spanish) |
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· Health benefits of walking · Finding target heart rate ·
How to start a walking program · Stretching calves,
quadriceps, and more · Safety tips for walkers
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| Shape Up America! Hosts Conference On Childhood Obesity |
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Charting epidemic levels of obesity in the United States
and many parts of the world, leading scientists and
public health experts meeting in Washington DC agreed
that adult obesity has some roots in fetal development
and what happens at the earliest stages of childhood
Supported with funding from the Gerber Products
Company, the international conference was organized
and convened by Shape Up America! to discuss the
prevention of childhood obesity. Over 200 researchers
from the U.S., Canada and Europe reviewed the latest
data on the risk factors for childhood obesity, agreeing
that a number of factors during pregnancy and infancy
predispose children to obesity, insulin resistance, type
2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.
Those factors include:
**elevated maternal prepregnancy body weight,
**smoking before and during pregnancy,
**maternal gestational diabetes, and
**either infant low birth weight or high birth weight
Researchers attending the conference recognized the
value of catch up growth in low birth weight infants
(those weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth) but saw
evidence that excessively rapid weight gain in those
babies predisposes them to later obesity. Citing recent
studies linking rapid growth in these infants with an
increased risk for obesity and chronic diseases in
adulthood, scientists speaking at the Shape Up
America! conference recommended very careful
monitoring of these high risk babies to achieve an
appropriate rate of weight gain during infancy.
Because of the many challenges in feeding these
infants properly, parents should seek the guidance of a
qualified health care professional.
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