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Obesity Insights
7 (Sometimes Surprising) Secrets for Stopping Childhood Obesity
Slimdown Secret No. 3
Eschew the sugary drinks. "Kids drink an alarming amount of soda," says Shanley. "People forget that liquid calories count, too. Consider the fact that Americans are now served soda in 20-ounce bottles – that's an additional 178 calories per serving. And many parents congratulate themselves on the fact that their kids drink a lot of juice. They are misguided. Though 100 percent fruit juice can be a part of a healthy diet, kids over 2 should be drinking low-fat milk and water more than anything else." Slimdown Secret No. 4
Bring back civilized family meals. You may think that the environment in which food is consumed has nothing to do with body weight. Wrong, say the authors. They emphasize over and over that "civilized" mealtimes – rather than meals eaten on the run or wolfed down in front of the TV – help kids learn a healthful attitude toward food. "Mealtimes are all about modeling the proper place of food in our lives," says Thompson. "Kids learn by example how to sit at the table, eat slowly, chew thoroughly and recognize when they're full. Remember, it takes up to 20 minutes for the brain to tell the body it is full. Rushing through meals leads to overeating."