Healthy Eating = Healthy Kids

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Healthy Eating Healthy Kids
Heidi M. Bates, MSc(C.), RD Tri-Nutrition
Consulting
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Houston Weve Got a Problem!

• Foods from outside of the four food groups
  represent almost ¼ of the calorie intake of
  Canadian children and youth
• Soft drinks, snack foods, sweets, added fats
• Children and youth who take in high fat, high
  sugar, nutrient deficient, high calorie foods are
  at increased risk for obesity.

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Did You Know?

• ¼ of Canadian kids eat fast food
• every day!

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Healthy Eating Anyone?

• Vegetable and fruit consumption is limited among
  Canadian children
• lt5 servings/day for Prairie children
• 61 of boys, and 83 of girls do not meet
  recommended intakes for Milk Products
• Both boys and girls fail to meet Canadas Food
  Guide Recommendations

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In 1977-78, children ages 6-11 drank about four
times as much milk as soda. In 2001-02, they
drank about the same amounts of milk and soda.
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The High Cost of Poor Nutrition

• Decreased academic achievement
• Decreased physical performance
• Increased risk for
• Overweight and obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Certain types of cancer

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Diabetes Projected RisksFor Babies Born in 2000

• Girls 38 lifetime risk
• If diabetic before age 40, lifespan shortened by
  14 years (Quality of life by 19 years)
• Boys 33 lifetime risk
• If diabetic before age 40, lifespan shortened by
  12 years (Quality of life by 22 years)

V Narayan et al JAMA 8 Oct 2003
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• Unless effective population-level interventions
  to reduce obesity are developed, the steady rise
  in life expectancy observed in the modern era may
  soon come to an end and the youth of today may,
  on average, live less healthy and possibly even
  shorter lives than their parents.

Olshansky S.J. et al.. NEJM 2005 Mar 17
352(11) 1138-45.
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Feeding Our Future
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Ecological Model
Culture and Society
Industry/Government
Community
School and Peers
Family and Home
Child or Adolescent
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Healthy Eating for Kids What Works

• Environments that value healthy eating
• Home, school, childcare, community
• Policy supports healthy environments
• Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and
  Youth
• Childcare, Schools and Recreation Centres
• Nutrition Education
• Knowledge and skills
• Parents
• Kids

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Healthy Eating What Kids Say!

• How often do you try and eat healthy?
• 26 said all the time.
• 35 said most of the time.
• 24 said sometimes.
• 10 said once in a while.
• 5 said never.

Source KidsHealth KidsPoll
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The Troops are Willing Lets Support Them

• Kids are interested in eating well and being
  healthy!
• We can support this interest by
• Creating environments that allow easy access to
  healthy food choices
• Limiting access to competitive foods
• Helping kids become media savvy
• Providing skill-based nutrition education