November is American Diabetes Month
One in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their life.
High-fat, high-cholesterol foods contribute to America’s childhood obesity epidemic. This in turn increases the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Almost 32% of kids ages 2-19 are overweight, and almost 17% percent are obese according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents, 2007-2008. JAMA. 2010)
Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the past three decades. Among children 2 to 5 years old, obesity increased from 5% to 12.4%.
Among children 6 to 11 it increased from 6.5% to 17%.
Among adolescents 12 to 19 years old, it increased from 5% to 17.6%.
Children who live near fast-food restaurants are more likely to be obese, says the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. (Child body mass index, obesity, and proximity to fast food restaurants. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. Posted online on April 29, 2010)
Dietitians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) analyzed menu items from five major fast-food chains, and they discovered kids are bitting off more than they can chew. None of the top five worst meals in PCRM’s report meet the nutritional standards for children’s meals set forward in recommendations published this year by the Institute of Medicine.
Dietitians from PCRM looked at national fast-food chains’ kids' menus and compared nutrient content the companies provided for calories, total fat, saturated, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
The McDonald’s Mighty Kids' Meal tops PCRM’s list of the five most unhealthful fast-food meals marketed to children. This meal contains the most calories, fat, and saturated fat of any meal analyzed. The meal includes a double cheeseburger, french fries, and chocolate milk. That's a total of 840 calories, 37 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1,460 milligrams of sodium.
Consuming red and processed meats, including deli meats, hot dogs, hamburgers, and bacon - is a key risk factor for colorectal cancer, according to a comprehensive report released in 2007 by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The second worst kids' meal at a fast-food restaurant, The Wendy's Kids' Meal. It consists of a chicken sandwich, french fries, and chocolate Frosty. The damage; 770 calories, 34 grams of fat, 9.5 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1,390 milligrams of sodium.
America’s rising obesity rates reflect increased intake of oils, meat, cheese, and frozen desserts, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Wendy’s Kids’ Meal contains all of these factors.
The third worst kids' meal at a fast food restaurant is the KFC Kids' Meal. They serve Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, string cheese, and soda for a whopping 800 calories, 34.5 grams of fat, 7.5 grams of saturated fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1,800 mg of sodium.
This meal features more sodium than children 4 to 8 should consume in an entire day, according to the Institute of Medicine. The high levels of sodium commonly found in kids meals can contribute to high blood pressure and calcium loss in bones.
Diets high in sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure, a condition that can lead to cardiovascular disease and kidney problems. Some health experts suggest consuming less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
Coming in fourth for worst kids' meal, The A&W Kid Meal cheeseburger, french fries, and soda. It totals 780 calories, 29 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1,360 milligrams of sodium.
High-fat, high-cholesterol foods are causing overweight children’s arteries to resemble those of 45-year-old adults, according to a recent study. (Vascular Age Is Advanced in Children With Atherosclerosis-Promoting Risk Factors. Circ. 2010)
And a study published this month in the journal Pediatrics found that overweight girls show signs of puberty at a younger age, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.
High-fat, low-fiber foods boost the hormones that promote cancer.
Specifically, diets high in meat, dairy products, fried foods, and vegetable oils cause an increase in the production of estrogen.
Extra estrogen also increases cancer risk in the breast and other organs sensitive to sex hormones.
Finally, The fifth worst kids' meal is the BK Breakfast Kids Meal. The Muffin sandwich, BK Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel sauce, and apple juice deliver 410 calories, 11.5 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, and 600 milligrams of sodium.
This meal has the most cholesterol of any item analyzed. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one in five kids ages 12-19 have at least one abnormal lipid level (LDL, HDL or triglycerides), which is a risk factor for heart disease.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in the body's cells. Every animal cell contains cholesterol as it is a necessary component of the cell’s membrane. The body naturally makes more than enough cholesterol to serve this biological function. High blood-cholesterol levels are strongly linked to risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.( American Heart Association, Circulation, 2010)
It has been 30 years since McDonald’s began marketing the Happy Meal to children. Since then, nearly every major fast-food restaurant has introduced a kids meal. A recent report found that in the last year, menu items in American fast-food chains labeled as 'healthy' grew by 65%.
According to the Rhode Island Department of Health:
- One in five children start kindergarten being overweight
- Less than half (42%) of youths in those grades are meeting current physical activity recommendations
- Less than one in five (19%) of youths eat fruits and vegetables five or more times per day
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