Toddler obesity on the (slight) decline

The number of young children who are obese and extremely obese is going down, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In what researchers say is the first national study to show that the prevalence of obesity among young children may have begun to decline, scientists analyzed data from more than 27 million children from low-income families between the ages of 2 and 4 in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

Read the full article from CNN.

Check out the facts on Childhood Obesity, from MayoClinic.com

So, how did we get here? Where little kids — you know, the ones that we put the food in their mouths every day — are suffering from obesity?

“The fast food industry spends more than $5 million every day marketing unhealthy foods to children.”

The facts on junk food marketing and kids, PreventionInstitute.org

Read that again. $5 million every day. Yes, that’s TV and radio, but even if you eschew TV for your kids, then there’s still magazines at the supermarket checkout, billboards, signs, posters, junk mail, etc. And even if you try to keep these to a minimum around your kids, there’s still… other kids with the same advertising merchandise on their clothes, bags, food packaging, etc.

I’m sure you’re running out of creative ways to say ‘no’, too. :-)

What can you do, as a parent?

“[...] a national survey of 1,000 moms, which revealed that children are 25% less likely to be overweight if a parent participates in meal preparation.”

Organic Food Fights Childhood Obesity, OrganicAuthority.com

Yup. It’s that simple. Cook at home more often, and get your kids to help in the kitchen.

• Look up a CSA to deliver farm fresh fruits and vegetables to your door.
• If you eat meat and have a big freezer, check out US Wellness Meats.
• Go look at theStoneSoup.com for some great cooking ideas with 5 ingredients or less, made in minutes.
• Sign up on CHOW.com (free) and learn more about your food.