Today in the “spry” magazine section of the Denver Post a great little article was featured from three fellow dietitians (Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD; Bonnie Johnson, RD; and Serena Ball, RD ~ www.spryliving.com).  The topic was 5 Top Nutrition Trends – very timely and I think right-on.  I’ve added a few of my own insights.  The trends were as follows:

1. “The fat-phobic phase appears to be over.” An emphasis on heart-healthy poly- and mono-unsaturated fats is replacing the old philosophy that all fat is bad.  Healthy fats found naturally in nuts, seeds, fatty-fish, avocados and plant-based oils should be emphasized when liberalizing the fat content of your diet.  Do we need supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids?  It’s best to ask a registered dietitian, as the answer depends upon your health status and your intake from food sources.
2. Antioxidants have not left the main stage.  It’s still debatable whether these disease-fighting compounds can be bottled or synthetically added to our foods in a way that keeps their beneficial properties intact.  Best route to get these powerhouse nutrients… you guessed it… eat rich sources of antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains… with occasional (and in moderation) indulgences such as red wine and dark chocolate (the higher the cocoa content the better).
3. Anything that promotes gut health – especially fiber and probiotics.  Added fiber is showing up everywhere from white bread (!) to yogurt.  We need both soluble (apple flesh, oats, Benefiber) and insoluble (fruits/vegetables, whole grains) fiber.  A good rule of thumb for selecting high fiber foods, look for at least 3 gm fiber per 80-100 calories of a particular food.  Probiotics – beneficial bacteria that may promote healthy digestion, can be found in a wide variety of food products.  Research is ongoing to determine exactly what strains and amounts of particular probiotics lend to improved digestive health.
4. “Gluten-be-gone.” I was asked by a client not to long ago whether the new gluten-free craze could be labeled a new fad diet!  My answer: “Yes… and No.”  The answer is not clear-cut.  We know that prevalence of celiac disease (a autoimmune, genetic disorder with gluten-intolerance as a key component) is much higher than is currently diagnosed.  We also suspect that there are other forms of gluten-intolerance on the rise.  Additionally, there’s beginning to be a wider consensus regarding the usefulness of gluten avoidance among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other behavioral disabilities (ex. ADHD, ADD).  It is no wonder that the gluten-free diet is all the rage.  However, most dietitians and physicians agree – do not begin a gluten-free diet without medical necessity.  Especially if you suspect celiac disease, going gluten-free prior to testing will likely result in false-negative outcomes.
5. Fierce competition within the sugar substitute market.  One of the most common questions I get from my clients – especially parents of young children – is “What about sugar substitutes? Are they better than sugar?”  My answer is always… “It depends!”  (A cop-out, I know!)  What I explain is that there was a great deal of research that went into determining the safety of each sugar substitute on the market.  However, this does not negate the fact that we are all individuals with a unique tolerance to foods and food-based additives.  There are some people who absolutely have negative responses (ie. headaches, stomach upset, nausea) from certain sugar substitutes and therefore should avoid the offending substance.  The bottom line when it comes to sugar substitutes: use any substitute in moderation and stop use if you suspect an individual sensitivity to a particular substitute.

I am a fierce advocate for those who take the road less traveled through the nutrition land mines that exist in our society.  On Monday, my dear friend and colleague, Shana Patterson RD, announced an expansion of her impressive Smart Meal program.  This program was developed to help Colorado restaurants highlight menu selections that meet particular nutrition guidelines and help consumers easily determine the best choices when they do eat at participating restaurants.  Ms. Patterson’s announcement was that this program now has the funding to expand it’s reach to include kid’s meals.  The Smart Meals for Kids program has taken root in McDonald’s restaurants throughout Colorado – and here is where the road less traveled begins.  Remember back to “Super Size Me” – the movie that demonstrated the ill effects of consuming only (the worst) foods from the McDonald’s menu?  Within WEEKS… McDonald’s Corporation made sweeping changes to its menu – added more entree salads, offered alternative sides, etc.  What Ms. Patterson is doing is forging a partnership that will not only improve the health and wellbeing of children, but will also work to change an entire industry.  Parents want choices for their children.  Consumers need healthy options no matter what restaurant they visit.  These choices are available due to the tenacious efforts of public health advocates such as Ms. Patterson and the bold (and risky?) alliances that she has forged.

February has long been promoted as “Heart Health Month”…   Most of the focus is typically on the middle aged sedentary adult … get up, get moving, eat better…

I work with families… parents and their children who are struggling to eat better in a society full of tempting junk food.  It is tough.  Increasingly, I see children and teens who are losing the battle against the trappings of easy processed food.  The result?  Early signs of heart disease… particularly evidenced by abnormal blood cholesterol and triglycerides.

MYTH BUSTER:  A child does not need to be overweight and sedentary to have abnormal blood lipids.

Here’s my suggestion:  if you child DOES NOT consume a regular diet of 4 – 5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day and get at least 3 servings of high-fiber grains (“high fiber” = at least 3 gm fiber per serving)… and/or if your child DOES consume processed foods (chips, fries, sweets, etc) and fatty forms of animal foods (ie. 80/20 ground beef, dark meat chicken with the skin, whole fat dairy) on a regular basis… then it would be a great idea to get their lipids screened.

What to look for?  The National Cholesterol Education Program classification of cholesterol levels in children and adolescents are as follows:

Acceptable:  Total Cholesterol less than 170 mg/dL and LDL Cholesterol less than 110 mg/dL

Borderline: Total Cholesterol 170-199 mg/dL and LDL Cholesterol 110 – 129 mg/dL

High:  Total Cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL and LDL Cholesterol greater than 130 mg/dL

Next time you take your child to a routine medical check up… PLEASE request a lipid panel!

Research, though sometimes confusing and construed to fit the whims of the day, can be very helpful in piecing together the puzzle that is childhood obesity today.

One such piece of research released this month in the American Journal of Public Health (February 2010, Vol 100, No. 2 | American Journal of Public Health 334-340 © 2010) has shed light on the link between childhood obesity and the exposure to TV food commercials.

In this particular study, it was the exposure to and influence of TV commercial content, not the “couch potato” (sedentary activity) effect of watching TV, that was a significant influence on the increase in BMI over time.  How can TV food commercials impact childhood obesity in such a profound way?

Researchers believe that the TV advertising had the significant effect of influencing food preferences – especially among the younger (0-6 year old) children in the study.  It was concluded that the more TV commercials (for sweetened cereals, junk food and fast food chains) viewed, the more likely the child will want to try the food.  And we all know what happens once a child tries a colorful, sweet or highly palatable salty-crunchy food …

“… much of the food we’re eating–this trifecta of fat, sugar, and salt–stimulates us.  And we now see from the science–this highly palatable food is excessively activating the neural circuitry of our brains.  We now know… the reason we keep on eating is because of this sustained stimulation.” Dr. David Kessler, pediatrician, former FDA commissioner, former dean of the Yale & UCSF medical schools, author of The End of Overeating: Why a chocolate chip cookie has such power over us- Fat, Sugar, Salt and the Brain

… they always want more.

Thanks again to First Lady Michelle Obama for keeping childhood obesity at the forefront of the national news.  Although Colorado is perceived at the “healthiest state”, today’s Denver Post article : “Obesity plan feels at home in Colo.” points out that the number of obese children in Colorado climbed from 48,000 in 2003 to 72,000 in 2007!  The end is not in sight.  There’s still a great deal of work to do on every front.  Obama’s four-part campaign includes serving healthier food in schools, increasing the access to and affordability of healthier foods, encouraging physical activity among the nation’s children… and my personal passion… helping parents make better food choices.  I feel privileged to be “in the trenches” of the childhood obesity epidemic.  To sit across the table from a family and see them make eye-opening discoveries about the foods that are going into their bodies is so rewarding.  It is not easy to motivate a young teen who cannot yet feel the effects of their elevated cholesterol and borderline blood sugar readings – yet I do it, because their future is at stake.  Parents, educators, nutrition professionals, legislators and childhood advocates must continue to lock arms and do what is necessary, though sometimes challenging, to help the nation’s children be more fit from the inside-out!

I understand that the world does not go around unless products and goods are being manufactured and sold… however, I often question whether it should be at the expense of the health and wellness of a generation of children and their families.  While the government, lobbyists and food producers of the US battle to determine what is best for all… I sit across the kitchen table from real-life families who are struggling to understand why it is so hard to select nutritious foods off of the grocery store shelves!  Now, in an ideal world (a world most of us DO NOT live in) it would be simple… we could simply avoid purchasing any foods that come in a box, package or container.  We could instead have a backyard garden, shop at local farmer’s markets to buy raw ingredients and make all consumable products from scratch – so we know exactly what is going into our food.  Again, I reiterate – I work with “real-life” families who have busy schedules to navigate, limited financial resources, and a wide range of personal food preferences to work around.  Cooking from scratch is not always an option for most of the hectic families that I work with on a daily basis!  So how do I guide families through the packaged food jungle?  There are several key steps:

1) Prioritize – It is often overwhelming for families to take all factors into consideration at once. I encourage families to break down the processed food world into smaller pieces.  For example, a family may decide to take a week to track sugar consumption and become aware of all of the hidden sources.  Alternatively, a family could make it a goal to purchase only packaged foods with five or less ingredients…ingredients that are known and identifiable.  Perhaps the family’s weak spot is in the  area of caloric beverages like juice drinks, sport waters, and flavored coffee beverages – this may be a good place to start!

2) Learn the Label – Although it is still a very flawed tool, the food label can provide us with some valuable information.  Go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm to learn more about the important aspects of the label.  Another up-and-coming resource can be found at www.nuval.com.  NuVal, developed by Dr. David Katz, is a food scoring system that may be coming to a grocery store near you in the future.

3) Involve the entire family – The dialogue in the grocery store could go something like this… “OK kids, there are over 100 cereals on this isle – let’s see if we can find one with more than 3 grams of fiber, less than 12 grams of sugar, and no artificial colors per serving… ready – set – go!”

4) Teach awareness – Let your children know that there’s a reason why their “favorite food” comes out of a brightly colored package and is promoted by a fun cartoon character, a spin-off TV show and an exciting game-oriented website! Help your children look beyond the gimmick to the true value of a food.

5) Take a deep breath and release the guilt – It is not uncommon for me to see tears of frustration and guilt coming out of a mother’s eyes when she is faced with the reality that the health of her children has been adversely affected by the food choices that the family has been making.  This is a normal part of change – grieving for the mistakes made in the past and doing the hard work of turning in a new direction.  I urge families to take time to mentally and emotionally “wrap their head around” the WHY of making nutrition and activity changes in their lives and then envision the resulting improvement in health and vitality for life.  Take a break – even if it is a few minutes per day to visualize the outcome and breathe deep – knowing that change takes time and focus!

Let us know how an IMAGEplus+ Dietitian-Coach can help your family today!

Just a snippet from an article in today’s Denver Post (source: The Philadelphia Inquirer). Brian Wansink, author of “Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think” comments on Jennifer Orlet Fisher’s research… “When it comes to childhood obesity or obesity in general, people love to point fingers…” Fisher’s work “shows how a parent or other gatekeepers in a household can make a difference in childhood obesity, tonight.”

I could not agree more! That is the reason why I am passionate about sitting down across the kitchen table with parents and their children to help them all bring a mindful presence back into their eating!

Popsicles, “juice” boxes, and mac ‘n cheese… Oh NO!  Summer time can be a great time for kids to get outdoors, play and explore.  What can we do as parents to help our children get the most out of summer?  Number 1: Don’t skimp on healthy, nutritious meals and snacks!  Nutrition often takes a backseat in the summer… kids sleep in late and skip breakfast more often.  Convenient, packaged foods are thrown together to get through a day at the zoo.  Pool-side fair includes hot dogs, pizza, candy and pop!  Make a difference in your child’s health this summer… Plant a garden and share in the labor and rewards of a bountiful harvest… or volunteer at an urban garden (www.dug.org)… visit a farmer’s market every week and ask your kids to pick out a new fruit or vegetable that the family has never tried… pack nutritious snacks before heading out for the day… fresh fruits and veggies, small portions of 100% fruit juice, air-popped popcorn, light yogurt that has been frozen ahead of time, GORP or trail mix are all great portable choices.  Number 2: Don’t… I repeat… DON’T let kids have more than 2 hours of screen time (this means any form of screen) a day!  Recently I read an article about Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey.  In this article he mentioned how he grew to absolutely love the outdoors… his mom used to say to him something to the effect of… “The sun is shining, you must be outdoors!”.  I encourage you as a parent to entice your children outdoors.  Give them some creative ideas… share with them… “When I was a kid in the summer I would…” then empower them to do likewise!  This summer give your kids the two powerful ingredients for health and vitality:  nutrition and outdoor play!

Yesterday I mentioned the first of two headlines featured in the Denver Post that directly relate to Family Nutrition… bottom line of STORY #1: What is eaten during pregnancy can affect a baby’s health and weight status! Today I continue with STORY #2: “Toxic metal detected in corn syrup“… as if there weren’t enough reasons to lay off of the regular soda!  Although this study was small (just 20 samples) it has significant implications because high fructose corn syrup is so prevelant in the typical American diet… and even traces can add up, especially for young children and teens.  Researchers found that there were traces of mercury in 9 of the 20 samples examined.  The toxic metal exposure comes as a result of a manufacturing process that helps extract high fructose conrn syrup from corn kernels. So, what do we do as a family??? First, check food labels before you buy… realize how many of the foods you regularly eat contain corn syrup as an ingredient. Where does corn syrup hide? Condiments/seasonings/sauces, cereal, processed breads, beverages, canned fruit, flavored yogurt… and many more!  Second, if there’s a close alternative (ie. different brand or similar food item) that does not contain corn syrup, buy this alternative product instead.  Third… and most important… shop around the outside of the grocery store to find whole, unproccessed foods… start with fruits and vegetables and lean cuts of meat, fish and poultry and choose dairy products without added sugar (ie. lowfat milk, plain yogurt, cottage cheese).  Finally, carefully navigate the center isles of the store… look for whole grains (brown rice, oats, corn tortillas, whole wheat pasta), canned beans/legumes, and minimally processed staples.  BOTTOM LINE: More research is needed to warrant a complete removal of corn syrup from our diets… but to be on the safe side, begin to wean your family off of this often-present ingredient by choosing nutrient-rich whole foods instead of highly processed foods and beverages!