Healthy Kids

Healthy Start: Breastfeeding

• Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants, and breastfeeding has been shown to promote mother-infant bonding.

• Breastfed children benefit from greater immunity against a variety of illnesses and infections during infancy, but also benefit lifelong from:
  • reduced risk of diabetes, asthma, allergies, overweight/obesity, and certain cancers
  • enhanced visual, motor, and oral development
  • higher IQ and school performance

• Breastfeeding mothers also benefit from reduced risk of postpartum depression, certain cancers, osteoporosis, and overweight/obesity.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding through at least 12 months of age.

• There are plenty of resources available to assist mothers who need help with breastfeeding, including low-cost or free resources.

• Approximately 80% of mothers in Los Angeles County initiate breastfeeding, 49% continue breastfeeding through six months after delivery, and 29% breastfeed through 12 months after delivery.

Healthy Eating at School

With more than 900,000 students attending public schools across Los Angeles County, there is a tremendous opportunity to instill good dietary habits among students. More than 200 million breakfast and lunch meals were served in school cafeterias in the county during the 2008-09 school year, making the cafeteria a great learning laboratory. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) came out with the following recommendations to better align school menus with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

• A minimum and maximum calorie level for meals
• More fruit at breakfast, including whole fruit
• A greater amount and variety of vegetables at lunch
• More whole grain rich foods
• Milk choice limited to fat-free unflavored or flavored milk and plain low-fat milk
• Increased emphasis on limiting saturated fat
• Reduction in sodium content to be achieved by 2020, with stepwise reductions

The Los Angeles Unified School District, which serves more than 650,000 meals daily, recently unveiled a new student-driven cafeteria menu with a wellness program that ties in proper eating and regular exercise. I’m In is a program designed to raise awareness about the District’s healthy meals to help fight childhood obesity, as well as encourage student attendance and dropout prevention.

Resources

Breastfeeding

LA County Breastfeeding Support Program

The Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles - Breastfeeding Works

WomensHealth.gov - Why Breastfeeding is Important

CA Department of Public Health - Breastfeeding and Healthy Living

Healthy Eating

Childhood Obesity Epidemic Infographic

Featured Videos

Learn more about healthy eating, moving and living in LA County by watching these videos.

Beyoncé: Move Your Body [Flash Workout Routine]
Let's Move - Park Day
Salt Shocker - Ketchup - Learn How to Reduce Sodium
Salt Shocker - Cottage Cheese - Too Much Sodium?