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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-Many parents may be surprised to learn that, in the midst of current concern over childhood obesity, health care experts are also working on relieving alarming nutrient deficiencies in children’s diets.
“Weight is not the only measure of good nutrition and health. Any child-whether he or she is of normal weight, overweight or obese-can be undernourished,” said registered dietitian Dr. Katie Brown, national education director for the American Dietetic Association Foundation.
“Quality nutrition requires a total diet approach that goes beyond calorie counting alone, to also focus on including those nutrients critical for a child’s healthy growth and development,” she added.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recently reported that children, teens and adults have diets deficient in fiber, vitamin D, calcium and potassium. According to Brown, fewer than 25 percent of parents and children can correctly identify grains as the food group from which they should consume the most daily servings.
To help, the American Dietetic Association and its Foundation came up with the Kids Eat Right campaign, designed to promote healthy eating behaviors and ensure quality nutrition for all children. It features an interactive website and mobilizes registered dietitians to reach out to families, schools and communities and engage in public education projects and programs.
Providing families with practical guidance on preparing nutritional meals, KidsEatRight.org features tips, articles, videos and recipes from registered dietitians-professionals with the expertise essential to success.
For example, the site advises parents to:
• Get children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.
• Involve children in the preparation of all meals. Even a snack can be healthful.
• Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day’s experiences.
“Kids Eat Right will empower families to actually transform their daily behaviors and improve the nutritional quality of children’s diets, whether through speaking with a registered dietitian about nutrients, grocery shopping or healthier cooking, or by visiting KidsEatRight.org,” Brown said.
Parents and dietitians can also call (800) 877-1600 for more information.
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