Practical Tools for Teaching Your Little One About Health &Nutrition

Major Reasons for Resistance to Change in Youth Nutrition Habits Lack of positive role models Lack of positive reinforcement in society Numerous enforcers of unhealthy behaviors ( TV commercials, retail stores, vending machines, school cafeteria, etc ……) Time notion different in kids and adolescents Unhealthy habits difficult to change Lack of knowledge about nutrition

Major Reasons For Parental Resistance to Changing Youth Nutrition Habits Own resistance to change unhealthy habits Poor time management Guilt Lack of finances Lack of knowledge

Motivators of Changing Nutrition Habits Peer pressure Extrinsec causes Intrinsec causes ( rare) Extrinsec causes Intrinsec causes Illness ( frequent & too late for many) YouthAdults

Myths Telling kids not to eat certain foods will work… Telling parents to not let kids eat certain foods will work.. Educational sessions in school … Healthy eating = being on a diet… Healthy eating = never eating something good…

Possible strategies to engage youth in changing nutrition habits Find out if and why your youth wants to change anything…. If they do, initially use their motivating reason even if it does not seem best motivator for us adults ( ex want to look like person X) If they don’t, try to find out what other things motivate them and use those …( ex want o get money for video game) Be a role model and show them Engage their best friend/peer group to help them change

Tips for success Start with small changes: one unhealthy meal per day or one type of unhealthy food! Then move to another change while reinforcing first change! Enforce consistency for at least one month for one small change to empower youth! Give positive reinforcement NOT negative, as they do not work and can cause eating disorders

Helpful Tips Healthy eating NOT “ dieting” Food serving /portion control Food pyramid Let them construct own healthy menu

Choose My Plate Ways to eat healthy and be healthy

Alternatives to lectures/seminars/flyers etc…to engage youth Go shopping with them to their neighborhood store… Cook healthy Recipes together Go eat in places with healthier choices in their neighborhood Go to their favorite place to eat and show them portion control or how to mix and match from existing menu Go to their school cafeteria and guide them what to eat

Why is Nutrition and Exercise Important? At least 4 of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. — heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes — are directly related to the way we eat The risk for developing these conditions starts in childhood

What is Good Nutrition?

No More Pyramid

Balance Calories Energy In = Energy Out

How Much Physical Activity?

How Much TV time?

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Avoid Oversized Portions

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Childhood Obesity Facts Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. 1 Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. =

What is a Healthy Weight? Body Mass Index (BMI)

Food To Eat More Often

Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables

Switch from Sugary Drinks to Water

Switch from Full Milk to Fat free or 2 %

Switch from “White” Bread to “Dark “ Bread/Rice/Pasta….

Foods to Eat Less Often

NO Vending Machines for 1 month…

Fun Recipes with Healthy Foods

+ Healthy Edible Art

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