Category Archives: nutrition

Good eating habits as a way of preventing obesity and eating disorders

Back-to-school time involves changes in just about everything: schedules, homework, sports, family time—even eating. Being rushed in the mornings makes having a decent, healthy breakfast a challenge. Families have to decide if kids will take lunch or buy the school lunch. Then comes the evening meal with people going in different directions, and often little time to prepare or eat a meal together. It’s no wonder that healthy eating and family time often take a back seat to homework, sports, and other activities.

As we all know by now, obesity among children and teens in our country is a widespread problem, and eating disorders (EDs) are also more common than before.

An article published last week on the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discusses how the same attitudes and habits can lead to both obesity and EDs. According to one study, dieting can actually be a precursor to obesity and EDs. Dieting “was associated with a twofold increased risk of becoming overweight and a 1.5-fold increased risk of binge eating… Another study found that normal weight girls who dieted in ninth grade were three times more likely to be overweight in 12th grade compared with non-dieters.”

In addition to dieting as a cause, “weight talk”—no matter how well-intentioned—and “weight teasing” can lead to EDs and obesity. “Weight talk, or comments made by family members about their own weight or to the child to encourage weight loss, has been linked to both overweight and EDs. Teasing children about their weight also has been associated with the development of overweight, binge eating and extreme weight-control behaviors in girls and overweight status in boys. Body dissatisfaction is a known risk factor for both obesity and EDs.”

So, how does a parent help a child be satisfied with her or his body? How do you encourage your teen toward a healthy relationship with food? “Adolescents who are more satisfied with their bodies report parental and peer attitudes that encourage healthful eating and exercise to be fit, rather than dieting.”

The article contains recommendations for pediatricians, and that guidance also applies to parents:

“Discourage dieting, skipping of meals or use of diet pills to lose weight. The focus should be on a healthy lifestyle rather than on weight.
Encourage more frequent family meals, which provide an opportunity to model healthy food choices and provide time for teenagers and parents to interact.
Promote a positive body image among adolescents. Body dissatisfaction should not be used as a reason to lose weight.
Encourage families not to talk about weight but rather to talk about healthy eating and being active to stay healthy.
Carefully monitor weight loss in an adolescent who is obese or overweight to ensure the teen does not develop the medical complications of semi-starvation.”

Don’t forget family meals. Though your children and teens may roll their eyes, the time spent together around the table is a time to connect over healthy food and discussions about topics great and small. Turn off the television and cell phones (including yours!) and enjoy each other’s company. It will make all of you healthier.

Probiotics

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You’ve likely heard the term “probiotics”. Maybe you’ve also wondered what it means and what, if any, benefit probiotics could provide for your family’s health.

What are probiotics? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Probiotics are defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the World Health Organization as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Sound appetizing?

Every human intestinal tract contains beneficial bacteria that helps break down food products into compounds that are more easily absorbed into the body. Sometimes the beneficial bacteria need a boost over the harmful bacteria that share the same space, or during or after a round of antibiotics that may kill the good bacteria along with the bad.

Probiotics contain the helpful bacteria. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, giving probiotics early in the course of “acute viral gastroenteritis can reduce its duration by one day. Probiotics also have been found to be modestly effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea in otherwise healthy children, though there is no evidence probiotics are effective at treating this type of diarrhea.” [Italics ours.] Note the term “healthy children.” Probiotics don’t have any proven effects on treating chronic diarrhea, Crohn’s Disease or other chronic illnesses.

When a mother cannot breastfeed, special probiotics can be introduced to the formula that will help to replace the natural ones found in breast milk. Ask your pediatrician about this before trying these products.

Where do you get probiotics? They are available over the counter in drug stores and healthcare departments of grocery and discount stores. They come in foods or as supplements. Buy from a manufacturer you trust, remembering that probiotics are not regulated the same way prescription drugs are.

As always, eat a balanced diet, which is the best road to gastrointestinal health.

E. coli and other nasty things: how to have good food safety for your cookout or picnic

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The holiday weekend approaches, with plans for picnics, cookouts, reunions, and fun! At the same time we’re hearing about a recall of nearly 2 million pounds of ground beef that is possibly contaminated with E. coli bacteria. How can you be sure about the safety of the food you’re serving your family?

You are right to be cautious. Foodborne illnesses can be very serious, even deadly. E. coli, in particular, can cause organ failure, and children may be especially vulnerable.

Here are some basic rules to keep in mind.

Cook ground meats ALL the way through. Pink interiors mean raw meat, and when that meat is ground, microbes that used to be on the surface of the meat can now be deep inside it. If the meat is fully cooked, any E. coli should be taken care of.
Cook poultry completely through. Chicken, in particular, can be contaminated with Salmonella.
Don’t reuse the plate that held raw meat or poultry. It must be washed before being used to hold cooked meat or other foods. The same goes with knives and other utensils.
Keep food separate. Fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be stored in the same container with uncooked meat and poultry, for example.
Chill leftovers soon. This is important when you’re at a picnic and far from your refrigerator. Take a cooler and ice packs.
Keep your hands clean. Wash them often. Take hand sanitizer on your picnic. Don’t change a baby’s diaper while preparing food.
Wash your fruits and vegetables. When you clean poultry in the sink, be sure to sanitize the sink afterwards so that you don’t contaminate food, dishes and utensils.

More information is available here from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A fun holiday is a safe holiday. Enjoy the time together and have a great weekend!

I’m thirsty!

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School is almost out and warmer weather is on its way. Hydration is always important, but never more so than when you’re active in warm temperatures. What are the best things to give your kids to drink, and are there drinks they should avoid?

First, drinks to avoid completely:

Energy drinks. Make sure you know the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks. Energy drinks contain stimulants like caffeine and are not appropriate for children and teens. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics: “Caffeine… has been linked to a number of harmful health effects in children, including effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems.” Caffeine is a drug, and is addictive.
Caffeinated soft drinks. (See bullet point above about the ill effects of caffeine on children and teens.)

Drinks that are okay for occasional use:

Sports drinks. These replace electrolytes and calories lost from prolonged exercise.
Non-caffeinated soft drinks. They are okay on special occasions, but only for older children. Sodas are acidic and therefore are harmful for teeth. Add sugar to that equation and you could be creating some real dental health problems.
Sugary drinks, carbonated or not. These have been linked to childhood obesity in children as young as 4. As with soft drinks, all sugary drinks can cause tooth decay.
Fruit juices. Better options than carbonated drinks, and often a good source of vitamins, they are still calorie rich and shouldn’t be overused.

Drinks that are best:

Water. Always the best way to hydrate, water can be a great part of the healthy child’s diet throughout the day, even when they’re not thirsty. Your kid doesn’t like water? Check out the flavor packets and squirts that add flavors to water.
Low fat milk. If your child or teen can tolerate milk, it is an indispensable source of calcium. If she is unable to drink milk, talk to the pediatrician about alternate sources of calcium.

Finally, a note about very young children.

Nothing but breast milk or formula should go in a baby’s bottle. Even fruit juice is too sugary and can lead to tooth decay. Read here about beverages for the very young.
Children can start learning to use a cup at about 6 months. Still, limit juice to 4-6 ounces per day until the age of 2.
Wean completely from bottles at about 12-15 months of age.

What we drink becomes habit, and starting good drinking habits in childhood is an excellent way to build healthy bodies and teeth for a lifetime.

Should we go gluten-free?

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“Gluten-Free” is the new catchword for “healthy diet,” or so it would seem if you read grocery store labels. Do gluten-free foods really make your family healthier? It’s not always a simple answer.

Just what is gluten? It’s a protein found in wheat and some other grains. Why do some people avoid gluten? There are several reasons.

Less than 1% of the population cannot eat gluten because they have celiac disease. According to the National Institutes of Health page on the subject, “celiac disease is an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.” It can be diagnosed as early as infancy or at any later time, and you can find a list of symptoms here from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The only way to get relief from those symptoms is to completely eliminate gluten from the diet, a task that isn’t easy because so many products contain wheat flour.

Others think that a gluten-free diet makes them feel better, though that could simply be because they are eating fewer carbohydrates and calorie-laden fast foods.

Still others believe that gluten contributes to behavioral problems or may even have a link to autism. Those ideas remain unproven, but there is a great article here.

Gluten-free advocates often tout a huge list of health benefits that are completely without scientific basis.

Celiac disease cannot be diagnosed without specific tests. If it’s something you suspect your child may have, talk to your pediatrician. And if you have to put your child on a gluten-free diet, you need to speak to a dietician about what nutrients you may be missing in the process. Don’t forget that our office has a dietician on staff for just this type of consultation.

Bottom line: there’s nothing wrong with eating gluten-free foods, but don’t go totally gluten-free without consulting your pediatrician.

On-the-go eating

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Families today are scrunched with work, school, sports, activities, friends…and the list goes on. And while all of you want to make sure your child eats well, that can be hard when you’re running from place to place.

Here are a few QUICK! guidelines to help.

Stay aware. Know what your child is eating when.
Plan ahead. Think about the week’s activities when you’re shopping and save yourself extra trips to the grocery.
Eat together. Whenever you can, have a meal with your kids, even if it’s on the tailgate at the soccer field. Eating is a great time for catching up, and for bonding as a family.
Check it out. Is your child in a sport? Ask the coach if there are specific nutritional guidelines to avoid fatigue and help with energy levels.
Think “nutrition,” not just “fill them up.” Fast food isn’t evil, but a regular diet of it leads to obesity and doesn’t provide all they need. For about the same amount of money, or less, you can pack a healthier meal.
- Shelf-stable milk that doesn’t have to be refrigerated, string cheese, yogurt.
- Carrot sticks, broccoli florets, apples, grapes.
- Sandwiches on whole wheat bread.
- Do a little research. Not sure what your child needs, nutritionally speaking? Here’s the perfect web page from the American Academy of Pediatrics, giving that information for every age group.
- Let them help plan. Sit down with your child or teen one evening and plan some meals and snacks for the week. Use the internet to research healthy ideas. Make some things together, like an easy homemade granola.

It takes a little extra planning, but your family will be much healthier and happier with good nutrition under the belt!

Artwork by Kendall

Georgetown Pediatrics

Caring for your children.

Category Archives: nutrition

Probiotics

E. coli and other nasty things: how to have good food safety for your cookout or picnic

I’m thirsty!

Should we go gluten-free?

On-the-go eating