Frequently Asked Question
How much exercise should my child get every day?
Children should get about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Finding fun ways to be active like taking a family run or walk, playing on the playground, or dancing helps to make physical activity fun and entertaining. Kids like to be physically active and exercise with their parents too. Make it a family event.
How often should I give my child sweets?
Sweets should be offered in moderation. This includes limiting the serving size and number of portions, making sure not to outright restrict access to sweets and baked goods. Restricting sweets generally has adverse effects with children. A good way to insure your child does not have too much of these foods it to keep them limited in your home and out of sight in a cabinet. The best time to have sweets is after a meal when your kids are not overly hungry, also better to oral health.
What is the difference between skim, low fat, and whole milk?
All of these have the same amount of calcium, which is very important for growing bones, but there are differences in fat content. Whole milk has the most fat (8grams fat) and is the best choice for children two and younger. Older kids and adults should opt for skim milk. Low fat milk comes in 2% (4.5 grams fat, 120 calories), 1 % (2.5 grams fat, 110 calories), skim or fat free milk has no fat and 80 calories, and whole milk has 8 grams fat and 150 calories. Sometimes ½ % milk is available. Some milk has added calcium and vitamins. If you child or a member of your family is lactose intolerant, lactose free or soy, almond or other nuts milks are available. The most important issue is that growing kids have milk or milk substitutes with calcium and vitamin D for growing bones, teeth, and muscular organs.
What are other foods I can give my child to get calcium?
Adequate calcium intake in important. Kids 1-3 years old need 700 MG of calcium a day ( 2-3 servings).Kids 4 to 8 years old need 1,000 mg of calcium a day (2–3 servings). Kids and teens 9 to 18 years old need 1,300 mg of calcium a day (4 servings).
Calcium is required throughout a person’s lifetime. Calcium is found in dairy products like low fat yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese. Calcium can also come from green vegetables like mustard greens, okra, and broccoli, or from dried beans and soy products. Additionally, there are several calcium-fortified products like juices, milk, whole grain breads and cereals.
Why do people say to "go for a lifestyle change instead of dieting"?
A lifestyle change is permanent and includes making new healthy habits to replace old behaviors. Examples include making sure to have a fruit and/or vegetable with each meal, decreasing the portion size, limiting snacks, including the type and size, plus replacing with healthy options.
When considering physical activity, it is most important to select an activity you like and enjoy. That way it will become part of your lifestyle on a daily or weekly basis.
A “diet” is known as denying what your love and never works since it is usually a temporary change in eating and/or exercise to lose weight. The problem with these short-term plans is that it does not become a permanent lifestyle change.
What kind of drinks should I provide for my child?
The best choices are skim milk, ensuring your child has at least three servings a day, plus water with snacks and during the day. Sugary beverages with little nutritional value like sodas, sports drinks, and punch should be kept to a minimum.
How to know the meals I have planned are healthy?
Go for a colorful variety of foods on the plate which will ensure that your meal provides several vitamins and nutrients. Also, choose a single food from at least four of the five main food groups, keeping fats and oils to a minimum. Remember, your kids should have at least one or more servings of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy or skim milk at each meal.
Use the USDA MyPlate as a guide. The plate should include a fruit, vegetable, protein, and grain. Other foods, beverages, fats, and oils may be added.
Can I use frozen or canned vegetables and fruits, or do they have to be fresh?
Frozen and canned are great and convenient substitutes to use when you do not have fresh fruit and vegetables available. Fruits should be canned or frozen without added sugar. Both frozen and canned products allow you to always have fruits and vegetables on hand when you need them.
How do I get my child to eat more fruits and vegetables?
Involve your children in grocery shopping weekly, allowing them to choose a new fruit or vegetable. In this way, a child may be more inclined to at least try the interesting food he/she has chosen. Sometimes allowing a child to assist in making a “fun” fruit or vegetable dish encourages them to try the new food.
Remember that many vegetables have an adverse or bitter “taste” for younger kids, so if you served that vegetable in the past and they would not eat, try again. It takes seven or more times for kids to adopt a taste for many vegetables. Try raw veggies for snacks with low fat dip.
Do not force the kids to eat the new vegetable, try again prepared differently. Or perhaps fresh vs. frozen or canned.
There seems like so much to do. How do I begin to make these changes?
ALWAYS focus on making one or two changes at a time. Go for those things that are easiest for your family to change so that you can be successful. Once you make a change or two, stick with it until you are successful for a few weeks, or even months. When you are ready, go for another change, but remember to go slowly so that you can build a new, healthy habit that you are your family will be able to maintain for a lifetime.
A positive change could be adding milk to meals, most kids like that idea. Only try one or two new vegetables a week. If your child only like green beans or whatever vegetable, that is better than not eating any at all, but try to introduce a new one every few weeks.
Current life contributes to a lot of fast food and meals outside the home, so it is important to have vegetables and fruits with meals at home and for snacks.
