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SALT LAKE CITY — Confession: I have an arsenal of sugary treats in my purse, and I know how to use it.
Oh how I wish a carrot stick could effectively diffuse the ticking time bombs that are my children when they're nap-deprived, hungry and on the brink of an apocalyptic meltdown. The trigger is most often a busy checkout line, a snowy parking lot or a classy restaurant.
But let's be honest, a pack of fruit snacks is my foolproof weapon in the battle against public mutiny. It's me against them, and I'm outnumbered. So out come the Welch's.
The good news is, the rest of the country seems to be wielding the carrot stick better than I.
American kids are pigging out less
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control revealed the number of calories American children consume has dropped over the past decade — surprising researchers and consumers alike.
The study focused on kids between the ages of 2 and 19 from 1999 to 2010. At the beginning of the analysis period, boys consumed an average of 2,258 calories a day. By the end, that number had dropped about 7 percent to just 2,100.
The trend carried over to girls as well, who ultimately averaged 1,755 calories daily — a roughly 4-percent dip.
- Caloric intakes for most of the age groups decreased
- Kids and teens surveyed consumed more calories from protein
- Most kids and teens surveyed consumed fewer calories from carbohydrates
- The percentage of total calories from total fat or saturated fat for kids and teens changed very little (Source: CDC)
Researchers also discovered that kids of both genders ate more protein and fewer carbohydrates — factors that likely contributed to the drop in caloric intake. The brains behind the study noted that a major source of carbs is added sugars — hinting that children may be taking in less of the bad stuff in favor of healthier alternatives.
"There is evidence that added sugars have decreased in general, and that these things are related to obesity," CDC researcher Cynthia L. Ogden — who oversaw the study — told TIME magazine. "I think it will be interesting to continue to watch these trends and see what happens nationally."
A major culprit when it comes to added sugars: sweet drinks. Ogden told TIME there's a good chance parents are limiting access to sweetened sodas — a proven curb for weight gain.
So fewer calories translate to lower weight, correct? Could the results of this study — the first of its kind in decades - hint at the beginning of the end to the nationwide childhood obesity epidemic?
It's possible, according to experts. While childhood obesity rates have flat-lined for the past few years, some cities have even seen a decline — encouraging news in a country where roughly one in three kids is overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association.
But there's still a lot of work to be done, and that work is most effectively done at home. So what can we as parents be doing to get our kids craving all things healthy?
Getting the picky eaters involved
Many nutritionists suggest it can be as easy as educating and involving them in the process.
He or she who conquers the grocery store aisles is the ruler of the refrigerator and cupboard. While we can't always control what our kids are eating outside the home, we can make sure our own family restaurant is stocked with nutritious options that are deceptively tasty as well.
My kids almost always accompany me to the grocery store, which can be less than thrilling for everyone involved. My recent survival technique: turning my grocery list into a scavenger hunt for my little ones.
Since my children are always happiest when they have something of utmost importance to tote around (you know, essentials like handkerchiefs and empty juice boxes), it's fun to bring along a tangible list of items they've been assigned to hunt down. Free printables are relatively easy to find online, and many of them are designed to get older children reading and interpreting labels and younger tots identifying the differences between fresh and processed.
The extra ambitious might even sit down with their child before shopping day to draw or color the items on the hit list. Let me just say, I've never seen my three-year-old so excited to find a pile of apples.
Adding to the adventure, many grocery stores even have tiny carts made exclusively for your mini shopper. Though they often turn out to be my nemesis when I'm rushing to get in and out, I've noticed my daughter will get excited about almost anything I allow her to put inside. It's the perfect place to store healthy scavenger hunt loot and allows your child to own the project.
Appeal to their senses
Let your children explore the vast array of colors, shapes, smells and textures that populate the produce section. My daughter's favorite color is pink, so you can bet that every time we check out, a pink lady apple or juicy grapefruit comes home with us — her self-proclaimed "princess treat."
In this little experiment, perhaps the most important sense is taste. Now that your children have identified and procured the necessary ingredients for their most crucial mission, it's time to put those elements together and let them indulge in the very literal fruits of their labor.
Pull out a cookbook, put on your aprons and get cooking. Chances are, those picky eaters will be more than thrilled to taste the product of their own creation.
And after it's all over, reward yourself with a bite or two of chocolate. Trust me, it's good for the soul.
