The Menu Education and Labeling Act (MEAL) is back up for debate in congress. This proposed legislation is trying to close the gap left open back in 1990. The 1990 Nutrition Labeling Education Act required food manufacturers to put nutrition information on packages (food labels) but did not require restaurants to provide nutrition information. This bill is now proposing that restaurant chains with more than 20 locations, provide nutrition information as well.

The nutrition information required would be:

• calories
• sodium
• saturated fat
• trans fat
• carbohydrates

There have been similar bills proposed over the last few years. This bill has been opposed by the national restaurant association because of the added cost it will impose. Instead, it supports another bill, the Labeling Education and Nutrition Act (LEAN) that would require restaurant chains with 20 or more units to post calorie information for standard menu items on menu boards or a similar sign next to the menu board or at the point of purchase. Additional information on 11 nutritional items, including sugar and sodium, would be available to consumers upon request.

You may wonder what the difference is? The LEAN Act requires only calories to be posted and would allow restaurants to use a poster that could be read by anyone interested in reading the nutritional information. The problem with this proposal is that many studies show that people will not take time to read a poster to find nutritional information. So results on behavior would not be effective. If people had to go to a poster in the grocery aisle to look up the nutrition information on a food item, well, you get the drift! If it is not convenient, most of us won’t bother to go look.

Some states such as New York, have not waited for the federal government and have already passed their own version of the law for their state.

Fact- Most people (including myself!!) underestimate the amount of calories in a food item. Is this something our congress should be debating? Will it make a difference in the fight against unhealthy eating habits? Will it make a difference in the fight against childhood obesity?

I guess to help each one of us decide, we have to stop and ask ourselves some questions:

Would you buy your child the fast food hamburger that shows “740 calories” on the menu versus the hamburger that shows “350 calories”?

Would you be surprised if you saw that the fast food meal (hamburger, french fries and a coke) was almost 1000 calories?

Would seeing the amount of calories, sugar and fat in some of the fast food items deter you from buying it for your child (for yourself?)? Would it prompt you to look for some healthier substitutes?

Resource: Tips on healthy fast food eating for the family

It may seem a little early to talk about the International Walk to School Day scheduled for October 7, 2009.  But as they say, it is never to early to start planning.

This is a good opportunity to make it a fun day for the kids/families and really raise awareness about the importance of being active. If this is the first time for your local school to participate, the first step is to register your school.

By registering your school, (teachers, parents and even kids can pass this information along to the principal) you will get downloadable materials to make it a fun event for the kids. Materials include stickers, puzzles and certificates.

By officially participating, your school will have a chance to win prizes and will receive a weekly newsletter that provides tips on for holding this event.For event ideas to help your team begin planning, click here.

This is an international event, other countries, please visit the international Walk to School website for more information!

Help your child avoid summertime weight gain.

A study found that kids body mass index increased during summer break.

It’s not too hard to figure out why kids may be gaining weight over summer. And it is probably the result of several factors, not just one. Without the structure and routine of school, it is easy for eating and activity habits to change.

Here are some watch outs for family:

• Kids may become more sedentary over summer, watching more TV and playing video games for longer periods
  • Limit TV and video game time.
  • Try to have some agreed upon times so that there is room for other activities
  • Create a list of fun activities you can do as a family and plan a couple for each week

• Families may eat more fast food or take-out
  • Plan your meals ahead and have the kid help.
  • By planning ahead, you can set expectations and limit the number of times you do fast food.
  • Salads and fruits are refreshing in hot weather

• Kids may be snacking more often
  • Try to set snacking times so kids aren’t snacking all day long.
  • Avoid snacking in front of the TV, it is easy to overeat when you are paying attention to a program.
• Kids may be drinking too many sugary drinks
  • If your child is a soda drinker, work to limit soda to just once in a while, not everyday
  • Have lowfat or nonfat milk during meals
  • If your child loves fruit juice, look for 100% and remember 6 ounces is plenty.
  • Put some sliced fruit in water for a new taste

Resources and printable tips from our website:

Read about ways to help your child limit their TV time

Read about ways to help your child drink less sugary drinks

Read and print: Healthy food choices, eating out healthy tips

Limit TV time (kid-friendly) Agreement

Limit TV time (kid-friendly Tracking Sheet

List of fun indoor and outdoor activities

Spend 30 minutes a day taking a stroll, stretching or doing yoga, playing with the kids, playing with the dog, meditating, reading or listening to music. Regular relaxation keeps energy levels high.

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!

Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

May is national Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.

According to the CDC, 4% of children suffer from food allergies.  Having food allergies, doubles a child risk of having asthma and triples their risk of having a skin or respiratory allergy.

There are eight typs of foods that account for 90% of food allergies (according to the CDC)

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat

It is unclear what is causing this rise in food allergies among children but it could be related to how we cook or process our foods.  Food allergies can range from being mild to being very serious, in life threatening.

Signs of Food Allergies are:

• hives
• itching
• rash (eczema)
• behavioral/temper changes
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or eyes
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• cramps
• itching and tightness of throat
• difficulty breathing (asthma)
• wheezing
• in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock requiring immediate medical attention

For more information and support for families who children have food allergies, visit AllergyKids.com or the  kids with food allergies organization.

There may be an association between childhood obesity and allergies.  A new study released by the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, looked at data from 4,111 participants between the ages of 2 through 19.

The study found, when compared to normal weight children and teens:

• obese children and teens were 26% more likely to have any kind of allergy
• obese children and teens were 59%  more likely to have a food allergy

This study does not prove that childhood obesity causes allergies but it is certainly concerning to see the numbers.  Food allergies among children have increased 18% over the last decade, according to the CDC.

A study released by the American Heart Association in March 2009, indicates that Americans are cutting back on healthy habits during this difficult economic times. The study focuses on adults, but we know that many adults are also parents!

Here is some stats from the study:

• 25 percent of those with gym memberships have cancelled in the previous six months

• 42 percent plan to make changes in the next six months that may impact their health, such as buying fewer fruits and vegetables.

Parents are the most important role model for children. There are many ways to cut back and still maintain healthy habits.

Keep exercising and being active an important part of a child (and family’s) routine with fun and FREE activities.

• Being active does not require a gym or paid after-school program. Kids can go to the park, ride their bikes, do family walks, play tennis, roller skate and even dance!
• This is a great time to work together as a family and find creative ways to be active that does not cost money.
• Walking is one of the best daily exercises you can do with your child and it is FREE! It is also gives you a chance to talk and share ideas. You will also be promoting an easy lifelong healthy habit.

Keep fruits and vegetables part of a kids’ (and family’s) diet with these smart shopping tips:

• Shop for seasonal fruits, they are usually the best bargains.
• For off season fruits and vegetables, look at the freezer or canned section. These may be a better bargain in off season.
• Buy in bulk when it makes sense and will be eaten throughout the week.
• Look at the bargains, coupons, discounts for the week. Most grocery stores have weekly sales.

Send a positive message about the importance of healthy eating and daily exercise. Challenging times are wonderful learning moments for kids. This is an opportunity to teach them that even in difficult financial times, the one area you do not cut out is taking care of your body, eating healthy and being active. Have fun finding creative recipes and free activities that keep costs down but healthy habits at the forefront.

More tips on bargain shopping by food groups.

Resources: List of fun activities

Stroke is the nation’s third leading cause of death. Control high blood pressure, quit smoking, manage your cholesterol and exercise regularly to protect yourself. Teach your child the importance of a healthy heart.

Mondays are a great day to renew Family Health vows. Every Monday, you will find some healthy tip to help your family start the week off on a Healthy Note!

Thanks to Healthy Monday organization for sharing their Monday tips.

Michelle Obama is truly rising as one of our most health minded mothers/First Lady. First, she is planting a garden in the White House and now she is on Sesame Street promoting healthy habits.

Here is a cute public service announcement Michelle Obama made with Elmo talking about her activities while visiting Sesame Street. It’s about a minute long and worth watching with your little one!

She brings out three key messages:

• healthy lunches
• the importance of daily exercise can be as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood
• parents are important role models by showing their child how to have healthy habits

After watching the video with your child, it is a great intro to talking about what is healthy eating and how much exercise do we need and why. It is nice to see some cute, kid-friendly advertising that promotes a positive message about nutrition and exercise.

If you need some help or guidelines on healthy eating, you can read these action-oriented nutrition articles, or print out some free healthy family tips!

We participated in the Visa Health and Wellness Fair yesterday. I had a lot of fun talking with employees, who are also parents, about our tools and tips to help them bring nutrition to the home.

I was touched by many moms and even some dads! – who shared with me their stories about their children who are overweight. They did not want to make their kids feel embarrassed by pointing out their weight issue and weren’t sure what they could do to help. I also met moms who had kids that were of normal weight but refused to eat vegetables or drink milk. Bottom line, were not eating a balanced meal from all the food groups so they were missing some important nutrients.

I think the key messages that I heard myself say over and over again:

• Don’t try to change all your child’s habit in one fail swoop. Focus on one healthy change at a time
• Set goals and work with your child to keep track. Put a tracking sheet on the fridge or the family bulletin board
• Don’t single out your child. The family should work together to have healthy eating habits
• Keep it simple. And most importantly, keep it fun. If you start to nag and get mad, the child will associate nutrition with negative experiences. We want to create the opposite effect.
• Be patient. Habits take some time to break and new habits take some time to make.
• Celebrate little successes
• But all changes will add up to a healthier child!

I know it is a repeated message but when I talk with parents and hear their stories, I feel the importance of this message and I am reminded why I have started this website.

Resources for parents:

Kid friendly goals and tracking sheets

Parent Healthy Tips

Nutrition Topics

Nutrition Tools

Kids’ nutrition learning games