Childrens' Health

The plump, reddish cheeks and fat fingers of babies and toddlers are sure to charm anyone. Certainly, nobody wants to have a bony baby. At a child's baby stage, plump is not uncommon, but when a child adds more weight than is proportionate to his height, it may be time to worry about obesity. After all, not all kids lose their "baby fat" automatically.

Simply put, obesity is an excessive amount of body fat. This condition leads to various health problems including diabetes, arthritis, cancer, respiratory problems and cardio-vascular disease, which can affect a child's health as they grow. My cute little cousin kept getting fatter until he became obese. Despite two heart attacks at an early age, his diet and eating habits did not change. He died at 15. This story is becoming more common as the number of obese children increases.

Childhood obesity not only leads to increased risk of physical problems and adult obesity, but it also takes an emotional toll as well. Obese children are subject to teasing and can be socially isolated by their peers. This is detrimental to their self-image and can lead to an increased consumption of food to try and lessen the pain.

It is important to help a child develop good eating habits from the start. It has been shown that a child's eating habits are directly affected by his emotional state and his relationship with his parents. Parents need to take the time to involve themselves in helping their children make healthy lifestyle decisions, even during the toddler years.

A diet that promotes normal body weight includes fresh fruit, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. Even snacks can be highly nutritious and tasty as well. So, parents should encourage their children to eat less high-fat and high-sugar foods. They should be sure to have healthy substitutes like fresh juices, fruit, baked chips, whole grain crackers, and vegetables for their children to eat.

Parents should also remember that their own habits can have a great impact on their children. If the mother or father is constantly snacking or spends many hours watching TV, this will have a large impact on how the child decides to live their life because children often emulate their parents. So, children should be encouraged to spend more time outdoors playing ball games or riding bicycles. The more active a child is, the less likely he is to become obese.

Everyone should remember that kids need to grow. Their diets should not be restricted so much that it will be deficient in necessary nutrients or energy for proper growth and development. Low-fat diets are not usually the best for kids because fat is a source of energy for the body, but it is best to choose foods that contain unsaturated fat, like avocados, nuts and seeds, as opposed to the saturated fat in meat and dairy.

If you suspect your child is obese take him to a doctor to measure his body mass index (BMI). Should this show he has more fat than necessary, get professional help to safely get him back to his normal weight. Be supportive and help your kids have a realistic expectation of their bodies and themselves.

With January being the traditional month when millions of people rededicate themselves to exercise and healthier diets, it’s a good time to think about it for our children as well. Why? It turns out that parents influence their children’s weight more than one might think.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5% to 17.6%.^{1, 2}

With the rising rates of childhood obesity has come the unnerving reality that children and teens are now becoming high risk for diseases that used to plague only adults.

The CDC estimates that 61% of obese young people have at least one additional risk factor for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.³ In addition, children who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.^{4, 5} Obese young people are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.6

In Hawaii, almost one in six public high school students is obese. A survey released last year by the state Department of Health on "Youth Risk Behavior" showed that 15.6 percent of public high school students—about 7,300—were obese in 2007. That was up from 10.5 percent in 1999.⁷

In his “Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity,” the U.S. Surgeon General said that the cause of children and adolescents being overweight is generally a lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of the two.

Here’s the rub: Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80% if one or more parent is overweight or obese.⁸

If your child is considered overweight or obese, there is yet another reason to be concerned. Research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Session in 2008 showed that many obese teenagers have the arteries of a middle-aged person.⁹

The sad part about all this is that so many children are at risk simply because their parents pass along their poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles to their family. Many of them—however well meaning—just don’t realize that all that fast food and too much TV can truly have a devastating impact on their childrens' health. As a result, instead of being a good role model and insisting on a healthy lifestyle, too many parents unintentionally enable their children to develop poor health habits. This can lead to lifelong illnesses and sometimes premature death.

A study in the January/February 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that poor eating habits and a lack of exercise start as early as when children move from preschool to elementary school.¹⁰ So, it’s never too early to insist on a healthy lifestyle, and it’s never too late.

Virtually all the major scientific and medical institutions in the world agree that the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and a host of other diseases is linked to a meat-based diet consisting of highly processed foods laden with fats and artificial ingredients. These institutions further agree that the risk is greatly reduced by adopting a healthy low-fat, high-fiber diet. At Down to Earth, we believe this result is best achieved by adopting a healthy vegetarian diet consisting of organic produce and natural foods.

In addition, since a plant-based diet is low in fat and cholesterol and high in fiber, vegetarians have been shown to have significantly lower rates of obesity and Body Mass Index (BMI) values than non-vegetarians.¹¹ BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for both children and adults.

The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the use of BMI to screen for overweight and obesity in children beginning at 2 years old. BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. It is a reliable indicator of body fatness. To calculate BMI for yourself and your children, and learn what your number means for you, , use a handy calculator that the CDC has posted on its website: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html .

While simply avoiding refined sugars and flours can help prevent and combat obesity, the most powerful weapon you can offer your child to achieve and maintain an appropriate body weight is a healthy vegetarian diet (based on whole foods and free from refined sugars and artificial ingredients). A plant-based diet is critical to the prevention of obesity and other diseases because it:

• Tends to be lower in fat (especially saturated fat)
• Has absolutely no cholesterol (except for dairy products, which are sometimes included in a plant-based diet)
• Is naturally high in fiber when centered around unprocessed, unrefined, whole foods (fiber helps facilitate weight loss and prevent weight gain)
• Is high in phytochemicals (nutrients that are only found in plants which have been shown to have cancer fighting properties)
• Offers a good source of vitamins and minerals
• Offers the right amount of protein for required daily intake, as opposed to a meat-based diet which provides excess protein (double the amount needed), which converts into fat in the body.

In short, parents can help lower the risk of their children becoming obese and developing related diseases simply by setting the right example and insisting on healthy lifestyle habits, including physical activity and a healthy vegetarian diet.¹²

Common sense suggests that fruits and vegetables grown without the use of hazardous pesticides and insecticides are safer to eat. This is particularly true of organic produce, which is grown without using conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

While this is a very important point of differentiation with conventional produce, it is one of the least understood and most important considerations in choosing healthy food. A recent study published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science shows why parents should be concerned about this difference.

The peer-reviewed study found that the urine and saliva of children eating a variety of conventional foods from their local grocery stores contained traces of organophosphates (this is the family of pesticides derived from nerve gas agents created in World War II—including malathion and chlorpyrifos). According to Chensheng Lu, the principle author of the study, "It is appropriate to assume that if we are exposed to (this class of) pesticides, even though it's a low-level exposure on a daily basis, there are going to be some health concerns down the road."

In light of this study, it is undeniable that organic produce is a safer choice. When the same children ate organic fruits, vegetables and juices, signs of pesticides were not found. And when switching from conventional food to organic, the pesticides that were previously measured in the urine disappeared within 36 hours. Not surprisingly, the pesticide levels immediately returned when the children went back to the conventional diets.

While the EPA insists that "dietary exposures from eating food crops treated with chlorpyrifos are below the level of concern for the entire U.S. population, including infants and children," others beg to differ. Chuck Benbrook, (chief scientist of the Organic Center, a nationwide, nonprofit, food research organization) says that this statement by the EPA is simply "not supported by science.” Pointing to “the almost daily reminders that children are suffering from an array of behavioral, learning, neurological problems,” he questions, “doesn't it make sense to eliminate exposures to chemicals known to trigger such outcomes like chlorpyrifos?"

So what’s the solution? The gut reaction of some parents might be to limit the consumption of fresh produce, but that would be a big mistake. According to Lu, “It is vital for children to consume significantly more fresh fruits and vegetables than is commonly the case today." While it may not be practical for some people to switch to a 100% organic diet, parents should at least avoid conventional produce with high levels of pesticide residue (peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries and cherries are among those that most frequently have detectable levels of pesticides).

For over 30 years, Down to Earth has been offering our customers a wide selection of organic and locally grown, fresh produce. While many of you already know that organic foods are safer, tastier and more nutritious (not to mention better for the environment), we hope that you’ll share this information with your family and friends.

At the end of the day, most people are very sensitive to the safety of the food they and their families eat and want to be confident that the food they consume is wholesome and will cause no harm. Going “organic” is an important step in the right direction, and they will appreciate information to help make healthy choices.

Aloha!

Not long ago in our society, a person who did not eat meat may have felt like a complete outcast. Well things are finally changing for vegetarians, even to the point of government recognition. The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 states that “vegetarians of all types can achieve recommended nutrient intake.” Still, although vegetarianism is becoming more widely accepted by society, families raising their children with vegetarian ideals may encounter opposition or ridicule from others. Unfortunately, the vision of the typical vegetarian child as thin, weak, and anemic remains a common perception in the minds of those who have not accepted the meatless diet as a sustainable one for raising healthy children.

Fortunately, the negative stereotype is far from accurate. A study by the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the University of California at San Diego found that children on a vegetarian diet actually grew taller than meat-eating children. Other studies such as the Tennessee “Farm Study” (by The Center for Disease Control, 1989) and the China Health Study (by Dr. T. Colin Campbell) uphold the fact that vegetarian children reflect the same standard growth patterns as meat-eating children, sometimes exceeding the average build.

In regard to diet, the primary nutrition concerns are the same regardless of whether the child eats meat or does not eat meat. A child’s health is completely in the hands of his or her parents so it is the adult’s responsibility to make sure the child receives adequate amounts of all nutrients, especially protein, iron, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and calcium.

Protein is always the first thing that a meat-eater assumes vegetarians are lacking. This is simply due to a lack of knowledge. High quality protein is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, dairy, and even many vegetables. Sprouting and soaking beans, nuts and seeds produces an even higher quality protein. Eating a combination of protein foods throughout the day ensures that your child will get a complete protein. There are misconceptions about the amount of protein a child needs - meat is clearly not a necessity for assuring adequate protein. The average ten year old needs only about 28 grams a day. When a child eats a variety of foods throughout the day, a protein deficiency is highly unlikely.

Calcium is easily attained from dairy products. Young children should always be given whole milk rather than low fat or skimmed milks, which lack the fat soluble vitamins A and D. If dairy is undesirable for any reason, most soy and nut milks are fortified with Calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B-12. Other sources of calcium include tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, bok choy, broccoli, beans, figs, sunflower seeds, tahini, and almonds.

Vitamin D is manufactured naturally in the body with moderate sun exposure and is present in milk and fortified products. If you live in an area that receives very little sun, a vitamin D supplement may be a good idea for your child. While it is healthy to allow some exposure to the sun, always be conscious of how much sun your little one is getting. Keep his/her sensitive skin covered during prolonged exposure.

Vitamin B-12 is important for vegetarians and is found in dairy products, and in small amounts in yeast, tempeh, and mushrooms. Nutritional yeast is a great source of all the B vitamins and can be added to many dishes for a cheesy, nutty flavor that kids love.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in America, affecting vegetarian and meat-eating children alike. Iron is found in dried fruits, soy products, broccoli, beans and nuts. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption, so it is beneficial to serve vitamin-C-rich foods or take vitamins C supplement along with iron-containing food. Some symptoms of iron deficiency include lack of energy, pale skin in the lining of the eyes, gums, and nails, rapid and forceful heartbeat, brittle hair and nails, decreased appetite, and disturbed sleep. If you suspect your child has an iron deficiency, see a doctor and investigate supplements. The Down To Earth Wellness department staff can help you find the supplements you need.

In addition to nutritional concerns, many parents worry about the influence of other children upon the self-esteem of their own youngster. Your child will realize at some point that his diet is different from that of his peers and he may encounter criticism from friends and possibly even adults. However, more often than not, a vegetarian diet is generally accepted in most parts of the country. You might remember having difficult experiences standing by your veggie values in your life; chances are it will be easier for your child growing up vegetarian in today’s world. In light of the rise in childhood obesity, heart disease and diabetes, a vegetarian diet is certainly not to be shunned. Still, it is important to educate your child on the reasons for his vegetarian diet. It is not difficult for a child to understand the cruelty of killing animals for food or the importance of maintaining a healthy body. Explain to him that other people may eat differently, but that it is important for him to be confident with his diet.

Raising your child vegetarian is an intelligent decision that will establish good eating habits for the rest of his or her life. If your child learns to enjoy a variety of vegetarian foods early in life and is allowed only a minimal amount of refined sugar, they will naturally be attracted to healthful foods later in life. In this way, you are helping your child avoid chronic health problems and encouraging him or her to be a responsible, caring, and compassionate person.

As we prepare our children for the new school year, it’s time to think again about one of the most important and least understood aspects of their daily lives: nutrition. What’s good for them, and what’s not. We’ve all heard it many times, yet many of us ignore it—or at least don’t do much about it. We do so at our children’s peril.

Since the 1920’s parents and experts have suspected that certain foods and ingredients ramp up their children’s behavior and contribute to weight and related health problems. Research has proven this to be true.

Reduce Sugar in Your Child’s Diet

Eating foods loaded with sugar can wind a kid up so much during recess or break that it is difficult for them to concentrate and properly focus when they return to class. After coming down from a sugar-high, they end up feeling sluggish and tired due to their rapidly lowered blood sugar levels and are even less able to concentrate and do well in class.

Get Rid of Toxins

Check out the ingredients on your children’s favorite school snacks and find out what some of those long names actually mean. Be realistic and pull a variety of candy bars and chips from the vending machine. It’s scary! Many of the common preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors, MSG, etc. on the labels have been linked to all sorts of health and behavioral problems. For example, scientists have discovered that a combination of artificial colors and sodium benzoate preservatives in the diet results in increased hyperactivity.

When it comes to ingredient labels, a simple rule of thumb is this: If you can’t pronounce it don't eat it! Synthetic additives and preservatives can collect in the fat stores of your body, increasing in toxicity over the years.¹

Parents who try to do the right thing by giving their children a regular piece of fruit, take notice. Pesticides that linger on conventionally grown produce make matters worse. That’s why it’s better to feed your family fruits and vegetables that are labeled “Organic.” At Down to Earth we seek out and offer a wide selection of organic produce, which is grown without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; ionizing radiation or GMOs. Our organic dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Set a Leaner Diet

Hawaii's childhood obesity rate is growing twice as fast as the national level, which has doubled in the past 20 years. The obesity epidemic is now associated with a steep rise nationally in Type 2 diabetes. This used to be considered an adult disease but, sadly, it's now occurring in 10- and 11-year-olds, resulting in complicated health problems and soaring costs.²

Brooke S. Evans, a graduate student of the University of Hawaii could not have said it better, as I quote from his white paper, “Obesity in Hawaii: Health Policy Options”:³

“The problem of obesity is fast becoming a serious concern in Hawaii. Although the average prevalence for the State is 17.6 percent—a rate lower than many other states—research suggests that for certain populations in Hawaii, obesity rates are some of the highest in the country and reaching epidemic proportions.”⁴ For certain communities in Hawaii, studies show that childhood obesity rates may be twice that of the national average.”⁵

Evans goes on to report that, “Obesity in childhood, particularly adolescence, is a predictor for obesity in adulthood. The age-old myth that children will grow out of their “baby fat” has not proven true in this day and age, with prevalence rates of pediatric obesity rapidly increasing in the State. Childhood obesity is not simply a passing phase, but a condition that follows the child into adulthood.⁶ Overweight children past the age of six have a 50 percent chance of remaining overweight into adulthood.”⁷

Go Veggie!

Virtually all the major scientific and medical institutions in the world agree that the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and a host of other diseases is linked to a meat-based diet consisting of highly processed foods laden with fats and artificial ingredients. These institutions further agree that the risk is greatly reduced by adopting a healthy low-fat, high-fiber diet. An excerpt from a position paper of the American Dietetic Association agrees:

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that …Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”⁸

To add strength to this argument, consider a scientific review in the April 2006 edition of Nutrition Review, which shows that a vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. The study was conducted by Dr. Susan E. Berkow and Dr. Neal D. Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). They found that vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters, and experience lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to overweight and obesity. These findings are the result of data collected from 87 studies. The data showed that the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting. In commenting on the findings, Dr. Barnard said:

"There is evidence that a vegan diet causes an increased calorie burn after meals, meaning plant-based foods are being used more efficiently as fuel for the body, as opposed to being stored as fat." Insulin sensitivity is increased by a vegan diet, allowing nutrients to more rapidly enter the cells of the body to be converted to heat rather than to fat.”⁹

Whether it’s a health concern or just good old fashion misbehavior, helping your kids get a proper diet can be a big part of solving many common health and behavioral problems.

For optimal health and performance at any age, but especially for children, it is important to consume a vegetarian, organic and natural diet. A vegetarian diet based on whole foods such as grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and dairy products offers all the required calories and nutrients for healthy growing kids. There is absolutely no need to worry about protein, iron, and other nutrients as long as children are eating a variety of whole plant-based foods and dairy products.