We’ve all heard about the campaign “Let’s Move” to create a healthier generation of kids, lower child obesity and help them with weight loss. We’ve also seen how this movement has inspired different states, restaurants and schools to create healthier meals, meal options and meal regulations. We hear about the changes that have been made, but are these changes really healthy changes for a kids diet?
According to The New York Times, a new study done by a nonprofit research and advocacy group tested the nutritional quality of kids meals on the menus of some of the nation’s largest chain restaurants showed that 91 percent of these restaurants do not meet the standards that have been set by the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program.
This study also found that 97 percent of the kids’ meals at these chains also were not able to meet the regulations set by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
There are 120 restaurant chains in the Kids LiveWell program, which requires that they have at least one meal for kids that has two servings of fruits or vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy product and must be less than 600 calories in order to help lower the child obesity number.
Of these 120 restaurants The New York Times specifically talks about the findings of two well known restaurants, Subway and Applebee’s. They found that Subway was the only restaurant that did not offer sugary drinks with their kids meals and that all of their meal offerings met the nutritional criteria. Compared to Applebee’s where their grilled cheese kids meal which fries and chocolate milk was 1,210 calories, and unable to meet even one of the criteria.
This same group also conducted a study similar to this in 2008 and found that 99 percent of these chain’s kids meals did not meet these standards.
You would think that in the approximately five years between these two studies that there would have been more than a two percent difference. So you have to ask yourself, are all these changes we hear about just people saying they’re jumping on the bandwagon, but not really giving the results they are saying? When going out to dinner with your family, and helping your child choose a healthier option, ask the server for the calorie count(s) for the meals that are of interest. Just because a meal may look or sounds healthy doesn’t necessarily mean it is.
Also, with the easy access to internet whether it is by computer, phone, tablet or other, we have the availability to search restaurant’s menus and look at calorie counts prior to going out. This way you can base your decision on where to go out to eat on the availability of healthier options for the entire family and not just helping with your kid’s diet.
We’ve all heard about the campaign “Let’s Move” to create a healthier generation of kids, lower child obesity and help them with weight loss. We’ve also seen how this movement has inspired different states, restaurants and schools to create healthier meals, meal options and meal regulations. We hear about the changes that have been made, but are these changes really healthy changes for a kids diet?
According to The New York Times, a new study done by a nonprofit research and advocacy group tested the nutritional quality of kids meals on the menus of some of the nation’s largest chain restaurants showed that 91 percent of these restaurants do not meet the standards that have been set by the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program.
This study also found that 97 percent of the kids’ meals at these chains also were not able to meet the regulations set by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
There are 120 restaurant chains in the Kids LiveWell program, which requires that they have at least one meal for kids that has two servings of fruits or vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy product and must be less than 600 calories in order to help lower the child obesity number.
Of these 120 restaurants The New York Times specifically talks about the findings of two well known restaurants, Subway and Applebee’s. They found that Subway was the only restaurant that did not offer sugary drinks with their kids meals and that all of their meal offerings met the nutritional criteria. Compared to Applebee’s where their grilled cheese kids meal which fries and chocolate milk was 1,210 calories, and unable to meet even one of the criteria.
This same group also conducted a study similar to this in 2008 and found that 99 percent of these chain’s kids meals did not meet these standards.
You would think that in the approximately five years between these two studies that there would have been more than a two percent difference. So you have to ask yourself, are all these changes we hear about just people saying they’re jumping on the bandwagon, but not really giving the results they are saying? When going out to dinner with your family, and helping your child choose a healthier option, ask the server for the calorie count(s) for the meals that are of interest. Just because a meal may look or sounds healthy doesn’t necessarily mean it is.
Also, with the easy access to internet whether it is by computer, phone, tablet or other, we have the availability to search restaurant’s menus and look at calorie counts prior to going out. This way you can base your decision on where to go out to eat on the availability of healthier options for the entire family and not just helping with your kid’s diet. If you would like a little help getting a jumpstart on being healthy check out our Camps and Resorts.
