's motd Sunday July 31, 2011

[Guest guest]

FEED YOUR

CHILDREN WELL

Sunday, 31 July 2011

A few

weeks ago, I discussed with you how we Americans are not

only getting fatter but we're getting fatter at an even

more alarming rate. Yep, I told you how the

rate at which we're all getting fatter is increasing in

just about all 50 states. And now, to make matters

worse, I just read a rather disturbing report from the

Centers for Disease Control.

The report stated that America's children are not only OVER-fed

but that they're UNDER-nourished. How, you

ask...how can that be? Well, after sharing with you

some of the statistics I saw in this report, you'll see

why.

America's children get 40% of their calories

from fat and sugar. That's pretty high, don't you

think? It sure is! And it's because our children are

eating way too many processed foods.

51% of children and teens eat less than one serving of

fruit a day. 29% of them eat less than one vegetable

serving a day. And get this, most kids count French

fries as a "vegetable" serving. Can you believe

that?

Next

fact, one 1 in 7 ten year-olds get 50-70% of their

calories from snack foods. And you know kids who pick

up a bad snacking habit early in life carry that bad

habit with them for most of their lives.

The average child or teenager drinks anywhere from 3-7

12-ounce cans of soda per day...oh, my! And to

be honest with you, when I was a kid, I easily consumed

a six-pack of Coca-Cola a day. Oh, they were so

ice-cold and fizzy, I just couldn't get enough. But,

thank goodness, I kicked that bad soda habit a long time

ago.

And because today's kids and teenagers spend so much

time watching television, sitting at a computer or

playing video games, they're a lot less active than past

generations of America's children. This is just not

good, folks.

So my question is, who taught today's young people to

eat so poorly? Well, that would be their moms, dads,

grandma and grandpa, other relatives and they pick up

these bad habits from their friends, too. Are these the

habits we want our children to build their lives on? Oh

course not!

If someone doesn't straighten-out our children's bad

eating and exercise habits, then we're going to see

those obesity rates in America continue to go

up. And where do your children fit into the

statistics I just talked about? Are they snacking too

much? Are they drinking too many soft drinks? Are they

eating too many processed foods? Are they getting

enough exercise? Are they watching hours and hours of

TV everyday?

Remember,

it's up to you to be a responsible parent and set the

right example for your children. You begin by following

better eating and exercise habits yourself...then

pass those good habits on to your children. And by the

way, the best way to keep your kids active is to...be

active with them. So get out there and get

moving with your children, it'll be good for all of you!

And oh yeah, remember whose children they are...yours!

Don't you want the best for them?

Love,