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Student Nutrition & Fitness

This DGHD site is for students--

• to help you get fit & healthy
  

• to help you look and feel better from the inside out
  
• to satisfy your curiosity
  
• to share with friends and family
  
• to help you turn in stellar school health education assignments
  
• AND any other reason you can think of....

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Hot Kid Nutrition & Fitness Topics

Child Obesity

Why is this topic hot in the news? 

Because each year more kids are picking up extra weight worrying doctors and health officials charged with keeping us healthy.  the number of overweight kids in this country is up 50% since 1991.  Carrying for years more weight than is healthy for your height is linked to health problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.  You might have seen recent news stories about Type 2 Diabetes in children, a relatively new health problem for kids that we used to see only in adults.

Do kids think about being overweight? YES!! 

Overweight kids tell us they want to fit in with their friends and the don't like looking different.  60% of 9-13 year olds answering a KidsPoll said it was hard for overweight kids o make friends.  In the same KidsPoll, 54% said they worried or stressed about their weight.  Boys say they've thought more about being overweight if it's kept them from performing well in sports and athletics.  Most kids say they can feel sensitive about their appearance, and they don't like anyone nagging them about their eating and physical activity habits.  BUT these same kids say they want better POSITIVE guidance (not nagging) from their parents about getting and staying fit.  73% of the kids who answered the KidsPoll on weight said they know that the best way to get to a healthy weight is by eating healthier and getting physically active

And what about getting physical?

When kids and parents think about obesity, they often put the blame on food and overeating.  They forget about physical activity.  Yet research shows that boosting physical activity is critical for children, teens and adults to reach healthier body weights.  When it comes to exercise, kids say they think it's best to set goals, but goals for making small changes in their physical activity, NOT BIG UNREALISTIC changes.  These same kids also say they want their parents to get more physical and to exercise with them. We like that idea too --kids helping Mom and Dad exercise, Mom and Dad helping the kids exercise --the family that works out together stays at a healthier weight together!

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For more on this hot topic, click on any one of these links below.

Kids Agree: Kidnetic is the Coolest" Check it out!

An interactive Web site that promotes kid fitness through healthy eating and physical activity.  Kidnetic says it lets you tap into your own energy so you can feel great all day ?long!  This web site has lots of activities, a kids' forum to talk about feelings with other kids and help for parents too.  This is a non-commercial site, no advertising and nothing for sale. 

VERB is all about kids and physical activity.  Link to this site and set up your own personal activity recorder -you might be eligible to win a prize just for being active.  Take the activity personality quiz --this site is definitely all about kids getting active!

Smart Mouth is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPSI) a national organization that has exposed the hidden calories, fat and sugar in many restaurant and food industry products.  This site offers colorful graphics focused on fast foods, the problems with super -sizing and other food ideas and recipes for healthier eating.  Check out this site, build your own fast food meal and see how it stacks up nutritionally!

Kids Health has lots of interesting health topics for kids and teens including healthy body weight, healthy body image, staying fit, physical activity for kids who don't like sports, as well as kid feelings and how to deal with them in healthy ways.  Check out their KidsPoll and see what other kids are saying about weight and other kid health issues!

What's UP with Fast Food?!!

National fast food restaurant giants being sued!?  Apple slices and lo-fat milk now at McDonalds!?  So... what's up with fast food?  The U.S. obesity epidemic is what's up now with the fast food industry.  High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes can all be linked through research to overweight and obesity.  Overweight and obesity can be linked to eating high fat foods and there's the link to fast food in this country

A super heart healthy amount of fat for healthy teens and healthy adults recommended by some heart doctors to prevent heart disease is 40-50 grams of fat for the whole day.  Check out the fat in fast food listed in the chart below and then click on your favorite fast food link to see the nutritional content of more fast food items.  How do your choices stack up to staying under that 50 grams per day?

Fast Food Items Grams of Fat

Fast Food Links

Super-sized Soft Drinks -Calories and Sugar Out of Control!!

Check out these soda pop facts since super -sizing has come on the scene:

One 12oz. can = 11 teaspoons of sugar & 140-150 calories

One 20 oz bottle = 18 teaspoons of sugar & 250 calories

And what about those self-serve Big, Bigger, Biggest Cups???

One 32oz. "BIG GULP" size cup (no ice) = 29 teaspoons of sugar and & 400 calories

One 44oz. size cup =40 teaspoons of sugar & 550 calories

One 64oz. "DOUBLE BIG GULP" size cup = 59 teaspoons sugar & 800 calories

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