Here’s some food for thought: your baby needs more fat in her diet than you. 

A baby’s dietary needs are different from those of adults, and while low-fat and high-fiber keep you trim, it puts your baby at risk. Some facts:

• Fat is needed in children below age 2 because of their rapid growth and ongoing brain development.  Aside from iron, fat is the most important nutrient for brain development in the first three years of life.
• Fat in the diet is needed to digest fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and to keep baby’s temperature consistent. 
• Until they reach their first birthday, babies’ diets should be composed of 50% fat. Breast milk is the best source of fat for newborns. If an infant is weaned before the age of 1, infant formula is preferred. 
• After their first birthday, children’s diets should be be 35% fat. The AAP recommends full-fat milk and milk foods such as yogurt and cheese, until your child is aged 2. 
• Butter, meat, and  avocado are other good sources of fat. Well-cooked fatty fish such as sardines, salmon and fresh (not canned) tuna are also good sources but may have to wait if baby is allergy-prone. 
• If you have a child who seems chubby before she has started to crawl, remember that she will burn much of her fat once she becomes more active.
• Fat deprivation in the first three years of life actually puts children at risk for malnourishment and specific deficiency syndromes like underdeveloped speech and motor skills.

THESE AMOUNTS OF FOOD WILL GIVE YOU 10 GRAMS OF FAT

Santa Clara County officials vote to ban toys and other promotions that come with high-calorie children’s meals.

After a contentious meeting between parents and restaurant owners, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of banning the Happy Meal in Silicon Valley restaurants.

The five-member board in Silicon Valley voted 3 to 2 in favor of prohibiting fast food restaurants from offering prizes and toys if they contained more than 485 calories, 600 mg of sodium or high amounts of sugar and fat.  The decision is meant to pressure small fast food restaurants to big chains like McDonald’s to offer more nutritious menu items for kids. Happy Meals are one of the longest-running and most successful marketing campaigns for McDonald’s.

“This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children’s’ love of toys” to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food, said Supervisor Ken Yeager, who sponsored the measure. “This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes.”  It is said that that one quarter of kids in the area are overweight.

In favor of the item were public health administrators, parents and doctors; opposed were fast-food franchisees, other parents, and fans of fast-food toys who argued that the promotions are often used to provide Christmas presents for less fortunate children.

Once the ordinance gets final approval at a meeting in May, the fast-food industry will have 90 days to come up with a voluntary program for improving the nutritional value of children’s meals.

It would be interesting to learn whether such a ban indeed affects sales or pushes fast-food chains to offer grilled chicken sandwiches (instead of a burger or chicken nuggets) Unless the toy ban catches, the vote affects only about a dozen fast food chains under the Board of Supervisors’ jurisdiction.

Better food choices from schools to movie theaters.

Good news for us parents who want to raise healthy eaters. The U.S. school lunch program is getting a budget increase to improve nutritional quality of food served in public schools.

Senator Blanche Lincoln, chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, unveiled the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which provides $4.5 billion in new child nutrition program funding over 10 years.

“The bill invests heavily to automatically enroll more eligible low-income children with our National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and includes a major expansion of after-school feeding programs,” Lincoln said at a news conference in Washington.

This is what the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 will do:

• Expand the at-risk after-school program from a snack to a meal.
• Allow schools in high-poverty areas to offer free meals to all students without collecting paper applications to reduce administrative burdens on schools.
• Add a 6-cent-per-meal increase to help schools meet healthier standards.
• Gives the secretary of agriculture the authority to establish national nutrition standards for all foods sold on school campus throughout the school day.
• Facilitates planting school gardens and using local foods in school cafeterias.

“When Congress passes the child nutrition reauthorization bill, it will help get all junk food out of every school once and for all,” Margo G. Wootan, nutrition policy director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, said in a statement.

We hope the health-consciousness also extends to movie theater fare. In related news, it’s been reported that the head of a major Hollywood studio is asking for healthier snacks at concession stands in addition to candy, popcorn and soda.

In a speech at ShoWest, the nation’s largest convention for the movie theater industry, Michael Lynton, the chief executive officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said “adding healthier options to your existing menu is the right thing to do for our industry, for audiences and for our country.”

Lynton said he was not asking theaters to stop selling popcorn, soda and candy. 

”Audiences love them,” he said. “I’m just talking about adding some healthier items to what you already sell.” 
Some healthier snack options could include fresh fruit, fruit cups, apples with dip; veggies with dip; yogurt; granola bars and trail mix; baked chips, apple chips and unbuttered, air-popped popcorn.

My kids have their little share of sweet treats once in awhile, but they should get used to eating more substantial foods for most of their snacks and meals. It can’t become a habit if they are not offered healthy options. I really think kids can learn to love yogurt over ice cream or wheat bread over white. I’m glad that more of the powers-that-be are doing something to make this an easier effort for us parents.

The FDA warns food companies to be honest with their marketing claims.

Don’t take that food label as truth. U.S. health regulators have warned units of Nestle and more than a dozen other foodmakers over nutritional claims made for baby food, nuts and other products on food labels and product websites, according to letters made public last week. The warnings came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to push for new package labeling geared toward making it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional content of the foods they eat.

The FDA plans to soon issue draft guidelines for nutritional labeling, but also plans to work with the food industry to design a new labeling system. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said last week that the examples cited in the warnings were not indicative of labeling practices in the food industry as a whole.

In one of the warning letters, issued February this year to baby food maker Gerber, a unit of Nestle, the FDA cited issues with Gerber 2nd Foods Carrot and Graduates Fruit Puffs products saying their “labeling includes unauthorized nutrient content claims.”

The foods make claims that they are “Healthy as Fresh,” an “Excellent Source … of Vitamin A” and “No Added Sugar,” according to the FDA letter. “These regulations do not allow the claim for products specifically intended for children under two years of age,” the FDA wrote.

The FDA issued a similar warning to Beech-Nut, a unit of Swiss company Hero Group, the same day. The agency also warned Nestle, Gerber and other companies about similar nutritional claims made on company websites.

Others receiving warning letters include snack food company Diamond Foods Inc – relating to the health claims for the omega-3 fatty acids in the company’s walnuts – and Spectrum Organic Products Inc., a unit of Hain Celestial Group, over labeling for its vegetable shortening.

Nestle’s Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream unit was warned over labeling of certain products. A Nestle spokesman said the company was cooperating with the FDA but does not comment on pending regulatory inquiries.

Hain, Beech-Nut and Diamond have yet to release statements regarding the FDA letters. The letters call for the companies to immediately correct the products’ labeling and respond to the agency within 15 days from the day of the letter.

Can’t get pregnant? A few lifestyle changes may be in order.

Like we said, it’s never really as simple as have sex, get pregnant. Even a few lifestyle factors can mean boost or bust if you want to have a baby. If you’ve decided you’re ready to be a parent, consider our fertility don’ts. If you want to get pregnant and have a healthy head-start for your baby, time to start kicking some bad habits — or a least practice some self-control.

Here are our pre-pregnancy don’ts:

Cigarettes

We all know cigarettes are bad for our health, but you may be surprised that it can also diminish your fertility. Cigarettes bring toxins to your body that can damage your eggs — interfering with fertilization and implantation. They can also cause ovaries to age prematurely. Dr. Robert Barbieri OB-GYN at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston and co-author of the book 6 Steps to Increased Fertility explains, “the ovaries of a 35-year-old smoker function as if they belong to a 42-year-old and are therefore less fertile.” The good news is, when you quit smoking, ovarian function can normalize or improve.

Alcohol

More research indicates that alcohol over consumption diminishes a woman’s chances of getting pregnant. Alcohol can affect estrogen levels and also interfere with egg implantation. A glass of wine over dinner every so often shouldn’t be cause for concern, but binge drinking can lower your chances of getting pregnant. And of course, too much alcohol can definitely harm a growing fetus in the event that you find yourself already pregnant.

Caffeine

You should also consider cutting back on caffeine while trying to conceive and during your pregnancy. A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who drank the equivalent of caffeine found in two cups of coffee were twice as likely to miscarry as those who didn’t consume any. The bottom line: If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, limit your daily caffeine fix. Consider that caffeine can also be found in soda and chocolate… so limit where you’re getting your fix for the day.

His health matters too. The same things that harm your fertility can do a number on your husband’s reproductive health as well. Cigarettes, alcohol, a poor diet — any of these can contribute to lower sperm count or motility — the sperm’s ability to swim to fertilize an egg. Studies have traced chromosomal damage in sperm to cigarettes and heavy alcohol intake. Getting enough nutrients every day — particularly vitamins E and C and the mineral selenium — helps men produce healthy sperm. Dr. Christopher Williams, reproductive endocrinologist and author of The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally says, “it takes almost three months for a man to make new sperm, so he needs to think ahead too.”

Your child may look thinner to you than he actually is.

Dutch researchers say parents often see their children as leaner than their child’s actual measurements would indicate. I think this is significant for parents to think about, considering the rise in obesity among our kids. Not to encourage anorexia here, but you might want to take an honest look at your child to asses if you should be serving him healthier food.

Researchers at the University Medical Centre in Groningen, the Netherlands, asked parents to choose their child’s body shape from seven different sketches.

Among the parents with normal weight children, 97 percent chose a “lighter” sketch than the data provided indicated. The same was true of 95 percent of the parents of overweight children and 62 percent of the parents of obese children.

Parents of normal weight children tended to think their child was one sketch slimmer than the child’s measurements indicated and parents of obese children often chose sketches that were three sketches slimmer.

Half of the mothers of the obese children in the study said their obese child was normal weight as did 39 percent of the fathers.

“Our findings point to the need for health education programs that encourage parents to recognize what is a normal healthy weight for their children and work with health professionals to tackle any weight problems,” study researcher Pieter Sauer said in a statement.

The study, published in Acta Paediatrica, involved 800 parents of 439 children. Five percent of the children were overweight, 4 percent were obese and the rest were normal weight.

If you think your child may be overweight, ask your pediatrician for an opinion. Even typically tubby toddlers can tip the scales to make an impact on their health. Weight is not — or should not be — just a vanity issue. It’s all about setting up your child for a life of healthy living.

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.

Don’t Go Cold Turkey

Nutritionists say, if your child is already hooked on the sweet stuff going cold-turkey isn’t wise. Reel it in, but don’t resort to radical changes overnight. A good policy is they can have desert after lunch or dinner. No sweet snacks except on the rare occasion like a children’s party. Cut down portions too. If they complain, simply say they can take the one piece of cookie or have none at all.

Don’t Use Treats As Rewards

Broccoli is never used as reward for a job well done, and neither should a cupcake. Treats should not be made more special than they ought to be, just another part of their diet. It’s also not advisable to bribe a child with some chocolate so they she will empty her plate. This can harm their natural instinct for determining when their stomachs are full — and lead to over eating.

Don’t Go For A Total Ban

Nothing is as tempting as forbidden fruit — or forbidden ice cream. Research suggests that restricting sugar completely can make kids want it more. If children are getting the nutrition they need from healthy daily fare, there’s no reason they can’t enjoy fun, sweet foods for dessert or an occasional sweet snack. Just make sure, sweets are only a small part of a balanced diet.

Model Healthy Eating

If you gorge on sweets, stock up on candy and indulge too often yourself, then it would be unfair to control your child’s own cravings. Display your own power of self control, save sweets for special occasions, keep your pantry as junk food free as possible and your child will have no choice but to eat healthy herself.

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.

Study leader Dr. Pooja S. Tandon of Seattle Children’s Research Institute said the study involved 99 parents of children ages 3-6, who sometimes eat in fast-food restaurants with their children. They were presented with sample McDonald’s restaurant menus which included current prices and pictures of items, and asked what they would select for themselves and also for their children as a typical meal.

Half of the parents were given menus that also clearly showed calorie information for each item. Choices included most of the items sold at McDonald’s, including a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, dressings, side items, beverages, desserts and “Happy Meals.”

The study, published in The Journal Pediatrics, found parents who were given the calorie information chose 102 fewer calories on average — a calorie reduction of approximately 20 percent — for their children, compared with the group who did not have access to calorie information on their menus.

“Even modest calorie adjustments on a regular basis can avert weight gain and lead to better health over time,” Tandon said in a statement. “Just an extra 100 calories per day may equate to about 10 pounds of weight gain per year.”

With obesity becoming a bigger (excuse the pun) problem among Americans, a news item like this offers a simple step to improving the health of everyone in the family. No need to deprive yourself or your kids a happy meal every now and then. But if you are going to indulge, there’s a way to do it without having to tip the scales. Check the menu for calories and eat wisely.

They’re kids, they need the calories so let them eat what they want is an old, debunked belief that can have dangerous consequences. Children need healthy calories and you also have to keep their sugar and fat intake under control.

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.

Senior study author Dr. Nelly Mauras of the Florida Nemours Clinic says obese children are showing higher levels of clotting factor and inflammation as early as age 7. 
The study, scheduled to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, looked at children age 7-18 years old — 115 were obese and 87 were lean controls.

To be eligible for the study, the children had to show normal levels of fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. In other words, the children could show just one sign of the metabolic syndrome known to raise the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes — increased waist size.

The obese children — versus the controls — had significantly higher levels of the clotting factor fibrinogen as well as 10-fold higher levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein. 
”Doctors often do not treat obesity in children now unless they have other features of the metabolic syndrome,” Mauras says in a statement. “This practice should be reconsidered. Further studies are needed to offer more insight into the effects of therapeutic interventions in these children.”

The message to me here is, get kids started early on healthy eating. As soon as your child starts solids is a good time to begin. Expose them early to the tastes of various healthy foods. Get them their taste for greens, grains and fruit. Get them used to liking healthy proteins like chicken and fish. And these don’t have to always be fried to taste good.

If your toddler is a picky eater, hang in there. It takes them several tries before they decide to like certain foods. Easy on the fried stuff and the high sugar foods as well. You may think that’s all they want to eat, but given lots of opportunity to try the healthy stuff, they’ll get around to it! It’s also a challenge to get a little more creative — and sneaky — in the kitchen. I hear lots of kids love vegetable muffins!

How much milk does your toddler really need?

When your child hits one year old, you may be worried about how much less milk she’s willing to take. Solids will dominate her diet now, but milk still has to be a major part of her daily food intake. However, do expect changes in food versus milk needs. Experts clarify exactly how much milk your toddler should be having.

Don’t worry if your child wants to take less milk now that she’s a toddler. Other foods now figure in her daily meals, so of course she’s not going to drink as much as when she was a baby.

Still, milk matters in the toddler diet. It provides calcium and vitamin D which are crucial to bone development. Toddlers need 500 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU (international units) of vitamin D every day. The vitamin D is essential since it makes the body absorb calcium.

If your child gets just two servings of dairy foods in a day, this provides only half of their vitamin D requirement. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that toddlers drink about 1 liter or 4 cups of milk a day. If your child takes less milk than that, the AAP suggests vitamin D supplements. This is something you should discuss first with the pediatrician.

In general, kids ages 12 to 24 months should drink whole milk to help provide the dietary fats they need for normal growth and brain development. Yes, fats are essential for them. Toddlers still need fat, unlike adults who have to control fat intake.

Reduced fat (2%) milk may be given if being overweight is a concern, or if there is a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, of heart disease. After age 2, most kids can switch to low-fat (1%) or non-fat milk. Your doctor will help you decide which kind of milk to serve your toddler.

So despite increasing solid foods, milk is still important for your toddler. Unfortunately, some kids are not too fond of milk. In this case, yogurt or cheese can be served to supply the much needed calcium. Aside from dairy products, other good calcium sources are fortified cereals, calcium-fortified soy beverages, broccoli, and calcium-fortified orange juice.