Food Groups to Encourage
April 14, 2008Click here to download this article as a Word document
“Food Groups to Encourage” for the Right Start in Life
It’s well-known that too many American children are overweight. But just as troubling is the fact that many are also undernourished. Because kids do not eat enough of the right foods, they aren’t getting enough of five key nutrients: calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and fiber, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).[1]
The guidelines identified four “Food Groups to Encourage” from the USDA’s MyPyramid: fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, and low-fat and fat-free milk or milk products. Encouraging kids to eat adequate quantities of these nutrient-dense foods can help ensure that they are getting balanced nutrition from their diets.
“When a child learns good eating habits, it can pave the way for better lifelong health,” says American Dietetic Association spokesperson Marilyn Tanner-Blasier, MHS, RD, LD. “Parents, schools, and the community – and especially healthcare providers – all have roles to play in teaching kids to make the right dietary choices.”
Dairy Foods: Rich in Nutrients, But Lacking in Some Diets
The dairy group, one of the highlighted food groups, is often underestimated as a source of key nutrients. Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt are well-known as a source of calcium, but together, they also deliver potassium and magnesium – three of the five “nutrients of concern for children.”
A number of studies have shown that getting calcium is a key to building peak bone mass and preventing osteoporosis and fractures later in life. The
Dr. Abby Hollander, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, notes that giving nutrition advice to kids has long term benefit: “By pushing for increased milk consumption and calcium-sufficient diets, we can encourage children to have healthful nutrition practices now and to have a better quality of life in their later years.” At each visit, Dr. Hollander recommends that patients skip sodas and grab more nutrient-rich foods for breakfast and throughout the day, such as instant breakfast drinks made with milk.
According to the National Dairy Council, half of children ages 2 through 8 and three quarters of children ages 9 through 19 don’t get the recommended daily amount of milk or milk products.[3] The 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that African-American children have lower intakes of calcium, magnesium, and potassium than children of other races and ethnicities.[4] This is consistent with a recent finding that adolescent African-Americans eat and drink less dairy than non-African-Americans.[5]
All children 2 to 8 years should get at least two cups a day of low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products and three cups a day once they turn 9. The
A Doctor’s Influence
For a physician, promoting healthy eating starts in the office. Asking patients about their eating habits, educating them about the importance of balanced nutrition, and recommending a healthy diet pattern that follows the 2005 DGA are all constructive steps a family healthcare provider can take. A doctor can also help by referring a patient to a registered dietitian when appropriate.
Outside the office, one way a physician can promote better nutrition is by partnering with non-profit organizations, industry-supported organizations, or government agencies that promote nutrition education. A nationally prominent group working along these lines is Action for Healthy Kids (www.actionforhealthykids.org), a public-private partnership of national organizations and government agencies that encourages healthy eating and physical activity in children and youth in schools. Action for Healthy Kids teams at the state and local level welcome doctors as expert volunteers.
Doctors can also make a difference by engaging with local schools. One option is to encourage the local district to form a partnership with Action for Healthy Kids or a similar organization. A physician’s voice may also carry influence when a community’s schools feature unhealthy choices in a lunch program, or are weighing a beverage contract with a vendor whose products are high in sugar and low in nutrients.
Poor nutrition in American children isn’t only a behavior gap; it’s a knowledge gap. Because of their expertise and the respect they command in their communities, health professionals have an important role to play in closing that gap and steering kids onto a healthier path through education, guidance and active involvement.
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[1]
[2] Frank R. Greer, M.D. and Nancy F. Krebs, M.D. “Optimizing Bone Health and Calcium Intakes of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.” Pediatrics (2006). 4 Sept. 2007 <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/117/2/578>.
[3] National Dairy Council, unpublished data based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey, 1999-2002
[4] Fulgoni, Victor. “Dairy Consumption and Related Nutrient Intake in African-American Adults and Children in the
[5] Fulgoni, Victor. “Dairy Consumption and Related Nutrient Intake in African-American Adults and Children in the
[6] Frank R. Greer, M.D. and Nancy F. Krebs, M.D. “Optimizing Bone Health and Calcium Intakes of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.” Pediatrics (2006). 4 Sept. 2007 <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/117/2/578>.
[7] Opinion Research Corporation for GTC Nutrition
