Kids Eat Right Ensuring Quality Nutrition

1
Kids Eat RightEnsuring Quality Nutrition
2
Childhood Obesity Prevention is a Top Priority

• Nearly 10 years since Surgeon General report and
  childhood obesity rates still at epidemic
  proportions
• There is a new level of urgency to end the
  childhood obesity epidemic and more people are
  getting involved than ever before
• The importance of the issue is highlighted by the
  First Ladys Lets Move Campaign

3
Childhood Obesity Prevention Strategies

• Many of the childhood obesity prevention
  strategies have focused on restricting fat,
  sugar, sweetened beverages, and junk food
• Strategies have NOT addressed the total nutrient
  needs of children resulting in chronic low intake
  of nutrient rich foods
• Consequently, many American children are
  simultaneously over-fed AND under-nourished

4
Poor Nutrition Results In

• Visible problem of overweight and obesity
• Over 30 of kids 2-19 are overweight or obese
• 16.9 obese
• 14.8 overweight
• Invisible problems of undernourished and hunger
• Over 22 of children live in homes with
  insufficient food

5
Undernourished

• The majority of children and adolescents have
  inadequate consumption of nutrients, especially
  vitamins A, C, D, and E, and phosphorus and
  magnesium
• These are critical for normal growth and
  development, learning and cognition

6
Undernourished

• 40 of the calories consumed by US youth have no
  nutritive value other than calories, regardless
  of whether these children are normal weight or
  overweight.

• These food choices are displacing higher-nutrient
  foods
• Childhood obesity and under-nourishment are BOTH
  consequences of what children are NOT eating

7
Undernourishment and Learning

• Poor nutrition and hunger interferes with
  cognitive function and is associated with lower
  achievement
• Even well nourished students who skip breakfast
  have difficulty concentrating and scoring well on
  tests

8
The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey

• In 2010, the ADA Foundation fielded the Family
  Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey to gain a
  better understanding of childrens attitudes and
  behaviors that influence nutrient consumption and
  healthy weights

9
Survey Methodology

• Follow-up to a similar 2003 survey
• Knowledge Networks fielded survey in Feb 2010
  with pairs of children and parents randomly
  selected from nationally representative panel.
• Parents with children aged 8 to 17 comprise the
  three samples
• 754 pairs of children and parents that are
  representative of the US population
• 209 African American
• 230 Hispanic

10
Survey Objectives

• 2003 and 2010 data assessed for
• Changes in parents awareness of childrens
  attitudes and behaviors (child-parent dyads)
• Changes in childrens attitudes and behaviors
• 2010 data assessed for
• Child-parent dyad correlation by race
• Childrens attitudes and behaviors by race,
  gender, household income, and school grades

11
From 2003 to 2010 Children and Parents Make
Progress
12
Areas of Improvement

• Increase in alignment of answers of children and
  parents, indicating more awareness of parents
  when it comes to their childrens attitudes,
  behaviors, and choices when it comes to food and
  activity.
• Decrease in childrens purchases from vending
  machines or snack bars, fast food restaurants,
  and convenience stores.
• More families eating meals together and
  participating in physical activity together. More
  children eating regularly scheduled dinners.

13
Barriers When, Where and Why Children
Eat
14
When Kids Eat
How often over the past week did you eat all or
most of the time?
White African American Hispanic
Right after school 56.7 57.8 59.1
In the evening, after dinner 26.0 26.3 24.3
While watching tv 23.1 30.0 23.8
While doing homework 8.8 15.2 6.2
While playing on the computer 6.3 10.3 5.7
When talking on the phone 2.9 8.4 3.5
Statistically significant differences by race,
plt0.05 Statistically significant differences
by race, plt0.001 Parent-child dyad correlation
is statistically significant, plt0.05
15
When Kids Do Not Eat

• Children do not eat breakfast and dinner all the
  time
• 42 white, 59 African American, and 42 Hispanic
  children do NOT eat breakfast all the time
• 67 of whites from low income (lt 24,999) homes
  and African Americans from medium income
  (25,000-74,999) homes do NOT eat breakfast all
  the time
• 22 white, 34 African American, and 38 Hispanic
  children do NOT eat dinner all the time
• 46 of Hispanics and 41 of African Americans
  from medium income (25,000-74,999) homes do NOT
  eat dinner all the time

16
Where Kids Eat

• 56 white, 75 African American, and 65 of
  Hispanic children eat school lunch on most days
• Many children do not eat school lunch because
  they dislike what is offered or how it tastes
  (white 49.7, African American 63.2, Hispanic
  59.3)

Statistically significant differences by race,
plt0.001,
17
Where Kids Eat
If children did not eat a school lunch, they were
asked if they eat from...
  White African American Hispanic
Lunch from home 87.8 60.0 70.0
School snack bar 5.2 22.9 24.4
Vending machine 0.6 27.1 10.3
Store or fast food 2.3 29.4 6.4
I do not eat school lunch 8.3 34.0 26.9
Statistically significant differences by race,
plt0.001
18
Children and Parents Are Ready for
Change
19
Number of Days Getting 60 Minutes Physical
Activity in the Past Week
Parent-child dyad correlation is statistically
significant, plt0.05
20
Interest in Being Physically Active
It would help me be more active if.
Statistically significant differences by race,
plt0.001, Parent-child dyad correlation
statistically significant, plt0.05
21
Interest in Being Physically Active
It would help me be more active if.
Statistically significant differences by race,
plt0.05, Statistically significant differences
by race, plt0.001 Parent-child dyad correlation is
statistically significant, plt0.05
22
Interest in Eating Healthier
It would help me eat healthier if.
Differences are statistically significant
plt0.05 Differences are statistically
significant plt0.001 Parent-child dyad
correlation is statistically significant, plt0.05
23

Interest in Eating Healthier
It would help me eat healthier if.
Statistically significant differences, plt0.05
Statistically significant differences plt0.001
Parent-child dyad correlation is statistically
significant, plt0.05
24
How Often Kids and Parents Do These Activities
Together 3 Days a Week
Statistically significant differences, plt0.05,
Parent-child dyad correlation is statistically
significant, plt0.05
25
Role Models
If you had to name one person who you admire, who
would that be?
26
Summary

• There are still significant barriers to adequate
  nutrient consumption including lack of nutrition
  knowledge, skipping meals, and eating for reasons
  other than hunger
• Children want to eat healthier and be more
  physically active and see their parents as their
  1 role model
• Schools and families provide a great opportunity
  to support a quality nutrition approach

27
Kids Eat Right

• Launched in November 2010 by the American
  Dietetic Association (ADA) and the American
  Dietetic Association Foundation (ADAF)
• Purpose to re-frame the childhood obesity
  prevention dialogue to include quality nutrition

28
Kids Eat Right Goals

• Childhood obesity prevention efforts
  comprehensively address the nutrient needs of all
  youth increasing attention towards the foods kids
  need to eat more often.
• ADA members take actions supporting the White
  House Task Force for childhood obesity prevention
  to improve nutrition and physical activity in
  communities, schools and with families.
• RDs are sought to provide evidence-based
  nutrition guidance supporting healthy weight and
  quality nutrition.

29
Kids Eat Right

• ADA is mobilizing its 71,000 members participate
  in activities to support a quality nutrition
  approach
• Using Fuel Up to Play 60 to help schools make
  changes with students
• Leading parent workshops
• Joining community coalitions and providing
  nutrition expertise to childhood obesity
  prevention efforts
• Meeting with school leaders to discuss the
  importance of quality school meals and the link
  between nutrition and learning

30
Kids Eat Right

• When addressing childhood obesity, it is critical
  to include a quality nutrition approach to ensure
  we are not unintentionally harming our children
• Registered Dietitians have the education,
  training, and expertise to ensure childrens
  diets have all the necessary nutrients for proper
  growth and development
• As part of the Kids Eat Right initiative,
  Registered Dietitians across the country are
  volunteering their time and expertise to help
  communities, schools, and families address
  quality nutrition
• To learn more about Kids Eat Right, visit
  www.kidseatright.org