Back to School: What's in your child's lunch box?

It’s no secret that school lunch in America has its issues. Kids get the option of choosing pizza, fries, and chocolate milk on almost a daily basis. Although the kids may not have an issue with eating these foods every day, it can be very damaging to their health and development.

The nutritional standards for schools are improving, yet sugar laden and fattening options are still readily available in the school cafeteria. Many would say that the answer is to pack your child’s lunch from home. And although this may be healthier, it could be an even worse option as far as nutritional value is concerned if you buy the wrong foods.

Knowing what is truly healthy and what isn’t is the key. Picking up sugary snacks, fattening snack crackers, fruit in heavy syrup and sports drinks to pack in a lunch is comparable to buying flavored milk, fried potato chips, and a cookie at a school cafeteria. Baked snacks, low sodium lunch meat, whole grain breads, fruit, veggies, and real fruit juice are much more viable options when packing your child’s lunch.

Childhood obesity is still a major issue in the US. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years in America. Although in some cases genetics may play a role, most cases of childhood obesity occur from lack of exercise and poor food choices.

Setting a good example at home of what to eat will show your child that eating healthy is “the norm”. If children are getting nutritious meals while at home, choosing healthy options at school will be less difficult for your children. Almost every food distribution company is jumping on board with making America healthier and most brands now have a low sugar, low fat, lite, low sodium, or fat free option.

Here are some "tips to enforce good health" for your kids as they start the new school year:

• Encourage them to expand their horizons by offering incentives for trying new foods

• Try to fix a new meal at home that is appealing to kids like homemade baked chicken tenders instead of frozen or fried options

• Start reading the back of labels for how much sugar, sodium, and fat is in what you are feeding your children

• Eat healthier yourself -- Monkey see, monkey do!

• Take your child grocery shopping with you and let them pick out one of their favorite things to pack in their lunches

• Have your child bring home their school lunch calendar and go over it with them as to what options would be the best for each day

• Make a list of your child’s favorite foods and think of what healhtier options may be comparable

Educating your child from an early age on what healthy foods can do for you and what unhealthy foods will do to you should be a fundamental lesson from home. Whether your child chooses to buy lunch at school or brown bag it, having your child know what healthy options consist of is just as important as getting their homework done.

If you’d like to learn more about childhood obesity, please visit our Franciscan Physicians Hospital Health Library by clicking HERE.

Franciscan Physicians Hospital

701 Superior Avenue, Munster, IN 46321

(219) 922-4200

(866) 614-1777

Childhood Obesity: Facts, Figures, and Fun Ways to Change

The National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality identifies higher levels of physical inactivity, lower levels of moderate physical activity, and excessive consumption of sugar sweetened beverages as detrimental contributors to high rates of childhood obesity.

Between 2007-2008, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics found that almost 17% of children and adolescents ages 2-19 were obese. Furthermore, they report that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years, and that obesity prevalence among children aged 6 to 11 years old increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008.

What do all of these numbers tell us with concern to our future generations? They tell us that an era of instantaneous technology and unhealthy foods is having a negative effect on the young ones we love. It's up to today's adults to strive for a healthy young generation.

Understanding the causes of obesity, specifically in children, can help to determine an appropriate plan of action to improve their physical wellness. Many factors contribute to obesity, and some are listed below:

-Medical conditions
-Genetic conditions such as Down, Prader-Willi, or Bardet-Biedle syndrome
-Heritability, such as relatives and immediate family members
-Nutritional factors
-Sedentary lifestyle, with availability of TV, computers, video games, etc

Changing the lifestyle of an obese child, as studies have shown, is easier than that of adults because children respond better to treatment. Reasons for this include greater motivation, more influence of the family on behavioral change, and the ability to take advantage of longitudinal growth, allowing children to "grow into their weight," according to the World Health Organization.

All of these factors are influencing parents to monitor their children's eating and exercise behaviors more closely than ever, with physical activity becoming a staple of growth and health prosperity.

Increasing physical activity in children and youth is easy, and fun! Not to mention, you can get involved as well, which makes for great family bonding time. Physical education in schools is a great start, but isn't enough for many children to receive their recommended daily physical activity.

The PLAY (Promoting Lifestyle Activity for Youth) program encourages the accumulation of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physicial activity daily beyond school time. This has been shown to increase the physical activity levels of children, especially girls.

Further physical activites you can utilize with your children, highlighted by the World Health Organization, include active transportation, unorganized outdoor free play, personal fitness, and recreational activities.

In conclusion, you can assist in your childrens health by following the 5-2-1 steps:
5: Eat 5 or more servings of fruit and veggies every day
2: Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day
1: Be active for 1 hour or more every day.

Let's work together to keep our future generations healthy and happy by promoting better diets and more physical activity in their daily routines. For more information, visit the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality or visit our complete online health library.