Online
Resources
·
Today's
generation of young people may be the first in U.S. history not to live
longer than their parents. One reason? Poor diet.
·
Poor
diet is a leading cause of being overweight or obese, which increases the risk
of high blood pressure, high cholesterol (which can cause heart disease),
asthma, arthritis, and other problems.
·
Nearly
1 in 3 children and adolescents (ages 6-19) are overweight or at risk of
becoming overweight. The same is true for 1 in 5 toddlers and pre-schoolers
(ages 2-5). Over the past 20 years, the proportion of overweight children ages
6-11 has more than doubled and the rate for adolescents ages 12-19 has more
than tripled.
·
The
numbers of children and teens with Type 2 diabetes - a condition usually found
in adults over 40 - has risen dramatically, and up to 85% of
young people diagnosed with this disease are overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes increases
the risk of serious health complications, including heart disease, blindness,
and kidney damage.
·
Only
2% of children and adolescents (ages 6-18) meet the recommendations for a
healthy diet outlined in the Food Guide Pyramid.
·
Too
much fat. More than 60% of children and adolescents consume more than the
dietary guidelines for total fat intake. The numbers are even worse for
saturated fats, with over 80% of young people eating more than the recommended
amount.
·
Not
enough fruits and vegetables. About 80% of children and adolescents do not eat the
minimum recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
·
Too
much soda. Soft drink consumption has doubled over the last 30 years. Each additional
serving of a sugar-sweetened drink (like a soda) increases the odds that a
child will become obese by 60%.
·
Not
enough milk. Seven in 10 children do not meet the recommended servings of milk
and milk products. Over
80% of girls ages 9-19 are not getting enough calcium.
·
For
older children and adolescents (ages 9-18), eating as a family improves
consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, fiber, vitamins, calcium, and other
minerals.
·
Young
people (ages 9-14) who have more frequent family dinners eat less fried food
and saturated fats and drink less soda.
Online
Resources
Nutrition
& Health | Family | Just for Kids | en
Espanol | Children's Books
Nutrition and Health
ü American Heart Association website
o
http://www.americanheart.org
ü Answers 4 Families project (Nebraska
Network for Children and Families)
o
http://www.answers4families.org
ü American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
website for the prevention and health promotion for infants, children,
adolescents, and their families
o
http://www.brightfutures.aap.org/web/
ü Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's (CDC's) website on Body and Mind (BAM!).
o
http://www.bam.gov
ü CDC's Produce for Better Health
website committed to encouraging children and their families to eat 5 to 9
servings of fruits and vegetables a day for good health.
o
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/
ü Health in Schools and Childhood
Overweight articles and resources from the Center for Health.
o
http://www.healthinschools.org/Health-in-Schools/Health-Services/Schools-and-Childhood-Overweight.aspx
ü Juicy Juicy's insights for nurturing
the growth of children.
o
http://www.verybestkids.com/
ü
Kids Health with separate areas for kids, teens, and parents.
o
http://www.kidshealth.org/
ü Nutrition Explorations - The fun and
easy way to teach and learn nutrition.
o
http://www.nutritionexplorations.com/
ü Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Nutrition
Services website.
o
http://www.ops.org/ops/CENTRALOFFICES/BusinessServices/NutritionServices/tabid/130/
ü School Nutrition Association website
o
http://www.schoolnutrition.org/
ü U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Food and Nutrition Service - Eat Smart and Play Hard website aimed at
encouraging and teaching kids and adults to eat healthy and be physically
active everyday.
o
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard/
ü U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services website aimed at healthier lifestyles.
o
http://www.healthierus.gov/
ü U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
web site with links to a 
Home Page which contains a variety of
information about children/teen health issues.
o
http://www.fda.gov/
ü We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition website
sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
o
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/
Family
ü Nebraska's Early Childhood Training
Center website which provides support and training to staff working with young
Nebraska children and their families, and serves as a resource to parents and
families about parenting.
o
ECTC.nde.ne.gov
ü
Eat Smart, Grow Strong.
It's about Food. It's about
Family. It's about Time.
o
http://www.eatsmartgrowstrong.com/
ü
Empowering
learners of all ages to reach their full potential.
o
FamilyEducation.com
ü Girls Inc. website dedicated
to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Their programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about
their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent,
and fulfilling lives.
o
GirlsInc.org
ü U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Food and Nutrition Service - Eat Smart and Play Hard website aimed at
encouraging and teaching kids and adults to eat healthy and be physically
active everyday.
o
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard/
Back to Top
Just for Kids
ü American Heart Association's website
link for kids only.
o
AmericanHeart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3028650
ü Disney's Healthy Kids website.
o
ADisney.go.com/healthykids/
ü
Eat Smart, Grow Strong.
It's about Food. It's about
Family. It's about Time.
o
http://www.eatsmartgrowstrong.com/
ü
Fun
page for kids to learn to be healthy and have fun doing it.
o
HealthFinder.gov/kids/
ü
Kids Health website link just for kids.
o
KidsHealth.org/kid/
ü
NDC (The National Dairy Council) website link for kids.
o
NutritionExplorations.com/kids/
ü Sesame
Street Workshop's multi-year, content-driven initiative to help young children
and their caregivers establish an early foundation of healthy habits that can
last a lifetime!
o
Sesame
Street Workshop - Healthy Habits
ü U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Food and Nutrition Service - Eat Smart and Play Hard website aimed at
encouraging and teaching kids and adults to eat healthy and be physically
active everyday.
o
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardkids/
ü U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services kids only website to promote healthier
lifestyles.
o
SmallStep.gov
ü U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 
Home Page.
o
FDA.gov/oc/opacom/kids
en Espanol
ü American Heart Association's
website.
o
Americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3015971
ü Guide to Good Eating' from the
Nutrition Explorations website.
o
Nutritionexplorations.com/pdf/educators/GTGE-spanish.pdf
ü The US Food and Drug Administration
web site.
o
FDA.gov/oc/spanish/ -
ü U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services kids only website to promote healthier
lifestyles.
o
SmallStep.gov/kids_esp/html/index.html
Children's Books
ü Mayer, Mercer, Little Critter:
Good for Me and You - At school, Little Critter learns all about having a
healthy lifestyle -- from a balanced diet and the food pyramid to exercises
that keep him in shape. Now Little Critter can show his family how to stay fit
and have fun doing it!
5,4,3,2,1 Flier | Project Brochure | Video
