Curbing your child’s sweet tooth.

I thought we had it good. My daughter loved her veggies and was an even more adventurous eater than her older brother. Fish, chicken, and greens, Japanese-style, Thai or Korean she loved them. But the love for food now extends to sweets. Since school and the birthday party circuit introduced her to the wonderful world of ice cream, candy and cake, it has never been the same.

She thinks I should serve her cookies everyday. She’s now come to crying to me if all I have to offer for desert at home is a piece of fruit. She’ll have the apple or banana eventually… but what is up with the demand for sugary treats? I gathered expert advice on how to help our little sugar junkies.

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Eating out? Get calorie-informed.

Going out for fast food with the kids? Try going to restaurants that list down nutrition information in their menus. According to US researchers, parents who have access to fast-food menus with calorie information tend to choose lower calorie selections for their children.

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Yes, even kids have to watch what they eat.

There’s a United Press International (UPI) Report that claims being obese as early as age 7 may raise a child’s risk for future heart disease and stroke, even in the absence of other risk factors. The story reports on a study undertaken by the Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

I think this story is significant even for parents with babies or toddlers. The sooner we start kids off on healthy eating habits, the better. The threat of future heart disease is just one reason.

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Watch it! Television food temptations are bound to be unhealthy.

Tune in on Nickelodeon and pay close attention to the food ads. In case you haven’t already noticed, most of these ads targeted to kids are promoting unhealthy food choices. About 80 percent of food ads on the Nick TV channel feature foods of poor nutritional quality, according to a survey by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) based in Washington.

It’s another challenge to hurdle, trying to get your kids to eat oatmeal for breakfast when those Froot Loops and other sugary cereals look so good on TV!

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