Dining disaster: Forgoing family meals
The sit-down family meal is an endangered tradition
thanks to hectic schedules, television, video games, and
the perceived uncoolness of eating with mom and dad.
The issue: Family meals foster communication and
usually lead to higher intakes of fruits, vegetables,
calcium, and fiber with less emphasis on unhealthy
fats, sugar, and sodium, says Keith-Thomas Ayoob,
RD, associate professor in the department of pediatrics
at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
No surprise, then, that a 2007 Journal of the American
Dietetic Association study found that tykes who took
in fewer family meals (and watched more TV) were
more likely to be overweight. Plus, research last year
at the University of Minnesota found that adolescent
girls who ate often with family were less prone to use
cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs.
Try this: Commit to a sit-down meal most days of the
week, suggests Brenda J. Ponichtera, RD, author of
Quick and Healthy Recipes and Ideas (Small Steps,
2008). And don’t overlook breakfast as potential family
time, says Ayoob. “Kids who eat a well-balanced
breakfast do better in school, have improved vitamin
and mineral intake, and are more likely to maintain a
healthier body weight.”
Dining disaster: Soda overload
These days, the average American household gets
more than 20 percent of its daily calories from
beverages. On average, soft drinks account for 8
percent of adolescents’ calorie intake.
The issue: The rise in beverage consumption has
mirrored the country’s tramp toward rounder figures.
“Satiety is less when you drink calories versus eating
the same calories in foods because drinks empty from
the stomach quicker,” says Phillips. “The extra
calories from liquids can easily exceed what the body
can use.” The worst offenders are “liquid candy” like
soda, plus energy, sport, and sweetened fruit drinks.
In a study published in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition, Harvard researchers confirmed that
a greater intake of these beverages leads to weight
gain in adults and children. “Plus, most sweetened
drinks don’t have much nutritional value,” says
Ayoob. Though they contain important vitamins, fruit
juices such as orange, cranberry, and apple still pack
a lot of concentrated sugar.
Try this: Phillips recommends limiting
empty-calorie sweetened beverages and
replacing them with unsweetened choices
like low-fat milk, homemade iced teas, and
water jazzed up with lemon or lime. Keep
daily intake of fruit juice to 4–8 ounces, and
focus on eating whole fruits instead. “You
can also freeze fruit juice in ice-cube trays,”
says Phillips. “Pop these into water for a hint
of sweet flavor.” Send your children to school
or camp with reusable, BPA-free water
containers (stainless steel works well) so
they get in the aqua habit. And consider
stocking the fridge with refreshing,
potassium-rich coconut water.
Dining disaster: The menu rut
Never before has such a variety of foods
been more readily available. But many
families fall into the trap of eating the
same familiar eats—like spaghetti,
chicken, and PB&J sandwiches—week
in and week out.
The issue: When children are presented
with the same foods, they don’t learn to
appreciate new flavors and textures,
reinforcing a picky palate and fear of
unfamiliar foods, says Ayoob. From a body-
weight standpoint, a 2008 article published
in Science suggests that when the brain
isn’t gratified from food—which can
happen when the family eats roast chicken
for the fourth time that week—people are
more likely to make midnight fridge raids
and add to total calorie intake.
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