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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – There’s good news for parents. Even with busy schedules and the stress that can accompany school and activities, it can be easier than you think for you to help your teens make healthy food choices.
In fact, healthy eating may help teens charge up and stay alert. Plus, eating well may help them stay healthy and fit over the years. It’s a habit that can start early in life and continue on-and it may also lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease and some forms of cancer.
To help, here are some tips from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN).
Give Teens the Right Fuel
• Make half of the plate fruits and vegetables.
• Encourage them to eat more foods like bananas and beans for potassium, and yogurt for calcium. These nutrients help to build strong bones.
• Suggest water or fat-free/ low-fat milk instead of sugar-sweetened drinks.
Start Strong and Plan Ahead
• Teens should start their day with a healthy breakfast.
• Pack a healthy lunch. This might be a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and an apple.
• Tell teens to take it easy on pizza, sweets and sodas. These have lots of sugar, salt and fat.
A Free Tip Sheet
These tips and more are in the tip sheet “Charge Up! Healthy Meals and Snacks for TEENS.” Contact WIN for a copy to put on your refrigerator, in your teen’s locker or in a helpful place.
WIN is a national information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.
For more information, call WIN at (877) 946-4627 or visit www.win.niddk.nih.gov. Also, you can read WIN’s free publication “Charge Up! Healthy Meals and Snacks for TEENS” at www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/ChargeUp_tip.pdf.
In addition, you or your teen can “like” WIN at www.facebook.com/win.niddk.nih.gov.
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