Making Healthy Food Fun Might Curb Childhood Obesity
POSTED: 1:37 pm EDT August 8, 2006
UPDATED: 1:59 pm EDT August 8, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Center for Disease and Prevention warned that obesity in children has more than doubled in the last 30 years, but weight loss experts contend that making healthy food fun can help buck the trend.
The best way to treat childhood obesity might be to prevent it with a healthy food relationship.
"So, we're not using food as reward, as punishment. We're using it solely for nutrition," said Rachel Nix, a registered dietician at St. Francis Weight Loss Center.
Back To Basics, a nutritional program cooked up by St. Francis, noted that kids get a third of calories from snacks.
To cut down on junk food intake, dieticians said parents should solicit help from their children at the grocery store and in the kitchen.
"Remember, it's the parents' responsibility to provide the food, to provide the time that they eat and the location that they eat," Nix said. "It's the child's responsibility to choose how much they eat and what they actually eat."
A turkey avocado wrap is one of the recommended healthy items. It provides a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. It's also loaded with color, but only has 250 calories.
"You can wrap those up, put them in a school lunch box, or cut it into small pieces and have it as little snacks," Nix said.
Turkey Avocado Wrap
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 avocado
1 pound sliced deli turkey
2 cuts shredded carrots
2 cups low-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Mash avocado and spread on tortillas. Layer turkey, carrots, lettuce and cheese in center of tortilla. Roll tortilla into sandwich.
Yogurt Treat
16 oz. low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup light whipped topping
Blend yogurt and berries in blender. Fold in whipped topping. Place mixture in serving dish and top with berries.
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