Welcome to the NutriBites Page featuring bite sized pieces of information regarding children's nutrition. Check back weekly for new Bites of information. NutriBite #3 - Study: Kids have low levels of vitamin D.....A must read for parents & kids!
Excerpted for the the San Jose Mercury News Story by Rob Stein of the Washington Post
Millions of U.S children have disturbingly low vitamin D levels, possibly increasing their risk for bone problems, heart disease, diabetes and other ailments, according to two new studies that provide the first national assessment of the crucial nutrient in young Americans.
About 9 percent of those ages 1 through 21 - about 7.6 million children, adolescent and young adults - have vitamin D levels so low they could be considered deficient, while another 61 percent - 50.8 million - have higher levels, but still low enough to be insufficient according to the analysis of federal data being released today.
The researchers and others blamed the low levels on a combination of factors, including children spending more time watching TV and playing video games instead of going outside, covering up and using sunscreen when they do go outdoors, and drinking more soda and other beverages instead of consuming milk and other foods fortified with vitamin D.
The analysis and an accompanying federal study also found an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk for high blood pressure, high blood sugar and a condition that increases risk for heart disease and diabetes known as the metabolic syndrome.
Taken together, the studies provide new evidence that low vitamin D levels may be putting a generation of children at increased risk for heart disease and diabetes, two of the nation's biggest health problems that are also increased by the childhood obesity epidemic.
NutriBite #2 - Kids with Kidney Stones....A must read for parents & kids!
Excerpted from the New York Times:
To the great surprise of parents, kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6. While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics.
The increase in the United States is attributed to a host of factors, including a food additive that is both legal and ubiquitous: salt.
Forty to 65 percent of kidney stones are formed when oxalate, a byproduct of certain foods, binds to calcium in the urine. And the two biggest factors for this binding process are not drinking enough fluids and eating too much salt; both increase the amount of calcium and oxalate in the urine.
"What we've really seen is an increase in the salt load in children's diet," said Dr. Bruce L. Slaughenhoupt, co-director of pediatric urology and of the pediatric kidney stone clinic at the university of Wisconsin. He and other experts mentioned not just salty chips & french fries, but also processed foods like sandwich meats; canned soups; packaged meals; and even sports drinks like Gatorade, which are so popular among schoolchildren they are now sold in child-friendly juice boxes.
Children often tend not to drink enough water. "They don't want to go to the bathroom at school; they don't have time, so they drink less," said Dr. Alicia New, medical director of pediatric nephrology and the pediatric stone clinic at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. Instead, they are likely to drink only once they're thirsty-but that may be too little, too late, especially for chilren who play sports or are just active.
"Drinking more water is the most important step in the prevention of kidney stones," Dr. Neu said.
To read the full article that was published in the New York Times, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/health/28kidn.html?_r=1&em
NutriBite #1 - If your child is ADD/ADHD you might find this interesting:
This article that was published in the October 2008 issue of Natural Solutions Magazine.
Focus On FOOD
Through his work as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, William Sears, MD, has found that as many as 50% of the kids who get diagnosed with ADD or ADHD also have poor nutrition. Sears believes they actually suffer from what he calls Nutrition Deficiency Disorder (NDD). "The quality of food our children eat has a profound affect on behavioral problems like ADD and ADHD." says Sears. "For many children, nutrition alone can work as an effective alternative to drugs." Here's what he recommends:
Raise A Grazer; Grazing is good for the brain because it helps steady blood-sugar levels. Sears call it the rule of two; Eat twice as often, half as much and chew twice as long.
Feed Them Fish (or the next best thing); "Kids who eat plenty of Omega-3's and protein are almost guarantee to have better school performance," says Sears. Since it is next to impossible to get kids to eat enough fish to meet this demand, a high-quality supplement is essential. Sears recommends GO FISH Children's Omega-3 DHA supplements & GO FISH Brainy Kidz Children's Omega-3 DHA Fruit-based Soft Chews because they have the right balance of Omega-3's and were created specifically for developing children.
Give them the Blues; Blueberries are a great brain food because their skin is full of flavonoids & antioxidants that help keep growing brains healthy.
