Childhood nutrition: Ways to keep our kids healthy

I was recently at my toddler’s 18 month check-up, and her pediatrician asked if I had any concerns. I told him that I was a little worried about her weight and the fact that she is growing so differently from the way her sister did.

Our oldest daughter Emma was 9lbs.12ozs. at birth (no...that is not a typo) and has pretty much stayed around the 95th percentile for both height and weight. Our toddler Sophia was 8 lbs. on the nose at birth (much more normal), but she is so incredibly active (a nice way of saying she never sits still) that her weight has always hung around 25th-30th percentile for her age.

Before I knew it, I was rambling off all of my exhausted efforts used to get her to eat better, but to no avail I explained how she continues to barely nibble and run. Just when I was sure he was going to tell me about that one feeding chapter I forgot to read in one of my “What to expect…” books, he offered me a response that was both comforting and surprising. He said, ‘As a pediatrician, I would rather see this, than the opposite. In a day and age in which there is a serious childhood obesity epidemic, it is good to see a child being fed well, kept active, and a little underweight.’

The other day, I came across a post written by Jodi Kantor from The Caucus (which is the politics & government blog of The New York Times) entitled, “Michelle Obama tackles Childhood Obesity”. Kantor talks about how “Michelle Obama recently asked the nation’s mayors to enlist in what she hopes will be her foremost project: an ambitious, wide-ranging effort to reduce childhood obesity.” The first lady is quoted as wearily stating that, “Right now, nearly one third of children in America are overweight or obese. That’s 1 in 3 children” she said.

I consider myself to be a very health conscious mother. I am always searching for new ways to prepare healthy meals and snacks for both my five year old and my toddler, which isn’t always convenient considering they have different dietary needs at different ages. As my oldest now approaches her sixth birthday, I find myself having less and less time to read about her growing needs the way that I used to. Because of this, I started searching for an easier way to get the facts on what exactly she needs as she grows and I discovered the terrific website www.mypyramid.gov/kids/.

Ironically, I heard of this website on many different occasions, but I never bothered to check it out. It is very useful and very simple to use. There you can find exactly what dietary and exercise needs your child has at different ages and even those for pregnant & breastfeeding women. This website breaks down the food pyramid we all remember learning about, but in a much more kid-friendly format. There is also additional kid’s health information, tips for educators and professionals, valuable resources, links and even printable fun worksheets to do with your child to help get them involved in taking care of their bodies and understanding the basic food groups.

I often hear parents saying that between picky eaters and busy schedules, they find it difficult to motivate both themselves and their kids into healthy eating. I would suggest starting off this new year with a food and activity goal. For some, that could be simply just cutting back on sugar and remaining active during the cold weather months (which has been challenging for us lately). For others, it could be learning the basics in childhood nutrition or acknowledging the relationship between a healthy breakfast and success in school and then committing to providing one everyday, even if that involves getting up 10 minutes earlier.

Perhaps just teaching older kids how to choose the right foods when away from home, or thinking up and encouraging new ways to stay active. In our home, one of my goals should be something like ‘I am going to stop chasing my toddler around with red bell pepper slices — seriously.’ I think I’m missing the gene that allows a mom to say, “I give up!” This actually can be a bad thing because for me it often turns mealtime into this huge power struggle, which I have found is a slippery slope with kids.

So, even though it can be frustrating to go to all the work of buying and creatively preparing a new healthy dish, only to have my kids reject it, I continue to try my best. While I do realize that we can’t make our kids eat healthy, I strongly feel it is as much our job to put the healthy food in front of them as it is to buckle their seatbelt.

For some kid-friendly healthy recipes check out www.foodnetwork.com, www.healthy-recipes-for-kids.com, www.eatingwell.com, and www.cnpp.usda.gov where budget conscious parents can find healthy ‘Thrifty Meals’. If you have a child who is a very picky eater, there is a really good article in February’s Parents magazine that offers a lot of great advice/tips from legitimate experts on the subject.

To put a smile on your face this week, try one of my favorite breakfast recipes for kids-it’s quick and easy and contains five “superfoods”- soy, blueberries, yogurt, orange and spinach…don’t worry they’ll never know they are eating veggies for breakfast!!

SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE RECIPE Â¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries Â½ cup ice Â½ cup plain low-fat organic yogurt 2 tablespoons soymilk 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 handful of spinach leaves (optional)

I like to use organic as much as possible and I also throw in a banana sometimes to change it up. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a fun colored straw and enjoy! (“Eat Smart” recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food)

Sara Arsenault is a full-time stay at home mother of two, a community volunteer, and a contributor to the Parenting section of AnnArbor.com . She welcomes your comments at searsen@live.com