Calorie Counting for Parents
There is so much more variety of foods than a generation ago that it can be confusing for many. With busy lifestyles, hectic schedules, large portion sizes and picky eaters, often healthy eating does not become a priority. Most do not realize how easy it is for a child to exceed his/her caloric needs. 16 percent of children (over 9 million) 6-19 years old are overweight or obese — a number that has tripled since 1980 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Healthy minded parents often feel that calorie counting is not appropriate for their overweight child or teenager for weight control. Most parents encourage their kids to include more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and to avoid high fat snacks to maintain a healthy weight. However, that may not be enough. While all those nutritious foods are important and are necessary for good health, it is important to realize your child's energy (calorie) needs to make better food choices, with more variety that is simple for you and your child to follow. Every child is different and has different caloric needs based on age, gender, and activity level.
For example, a 9 year old boy who is very physically active needs between 2,200 calories per day. His "couch potato" friend will only need at 1,800. If both boys eat an average of 2,200 calories per day one will gain weight even though the other won't.
Then the question parents may ask "How do I calculate my kids' caloric intake?" This can be tricky. For example, it might be easy to find the total calories on the label of a bag of pretzels, or you may be able to look up the calories at your favorite fast food restaurant. But what about a chicken parmesan dinner at a restaurant or the apple pie consumed on Thanksgiving? This can be very challenging.
On Monday, October 20th at 6 pm, these topics will be included in an open house at Storch Medical Nutrition Center in Florham Park, near the Livingston Mall. Dr. Storch will explain the new strategies that are enabling us to track our calorie intake. In addition, creative kid-friendly recipes and great tasting snacks will be provided that will offer children and teenagers to try new foods that may become a staple in their everyday intake. Join us this month and learn more about Calorie Counting for Parents.
There is nothing more important than improving
your child’s health and well being!
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