Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on "Healthwatch," we're talking about overweight children. With obesity on the rise among even young children, parents need to be aware of how they can help their children establish and maintain healthy eating habits.
School lunches are one place to start. Many pre-packaged convenience foods designed for school lunches are high in fat, sodium and calories. Nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center recommend fun and more nutritious alternatives like single-serving containers of cottage cheese, pudding made with skim milk, fruit cups and yogurt in a tube. Try carrot and celery sticks packaged with dip. A sandwich made with whole-grain bread and low-fat meats and cheeses or peanut butter offers protein. Substitute wheat crackers for potato chips. Fresh fruit makes a good dessert.
Remember to let your kids have some say in what goes into their lunches so they can learn to make good food choices.
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Jan. 2005
Health Watch is heard Monday through Friday nationwide on the "Stardust" format of ABC Satellite Radio. Call your local radio station and ask if they carry the program.
