Sugary drinks, fast food to blame for obesity

By Courtney Klemm
courtney.klemm@lee.net

Although sedentary lives have overcome Americans, the solution to the increase in child obesity is twofold, with food taking on a new meaning in children’s lives, local health officials explained.

“It amazes me how much soda consumption has gone up, while milk consumption has gone down,” said Laura Sechrest, director of food and nutrition services at St. Mary’s Hospital. “Twenty years ago, a teen boy drank two times as much milk than soda; that has basically reversed.”

Sugary drinks, such as soft drinks or sugar-packed juices, should be avoided at all costs, said Dr. Mayra Arzon, a local pediatrician.

Fast food is another area that gets people into trouble with weight management.

“We recommend trying to pick meals that don’t exceed 500 calories,” said Bonnie Kruse, food and nutrition manager for St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham. “That seems like a lot, but if you can get a whole fast-food meal for under 500, you’ve done pretty good.”

Fast food can be an acceptable option for a meal only if it is not overused and healthy choices are made, Sechrest said. Sit-down restaurants also can be a culprit of weight gain due to the immense portion sizes.

“Limit how much empty-calorie food you have around, and keep it in perspective,” Sechrest said. “Learn how to savor a small slice and make it something special, instead of constantly having it around.”

Getting children to eat a variety of healthy foods is usually easier said than done. It takes 15 attempts for a child older than 4 to try a new food, and 10 attempts when the child is younger than 4, said Etchason, pointing out it is best to introduce new foods to children early in life.

Kruse said the easiest way to get children to try new foods is for parents to set a good example.

“Making your children sit at the table until they finish their plate, those days are gone,” she said. “During meals, all you can do is try to prepare a food in a way that is tasty and offer it to the child to taste. Making a big deal of it is not helpful.”

Involvement from the whole family is important when making lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise, said Sechrest.

“Everyone understands the importance and how they’re going to benefit from it, so it’s not just on Mom to make sure everyone is eating the right way,” she said. “If you sit in front of the TV all night, you can’t expect your kids not to scroll through the computer the whole time, too. It’s never too late for a family to sit down and assess changes as a family.”