Childhood obesity a concern among state lawmakers

(March 27, 2009) If childhood obesity is a concern, continue on with attentiveness. According to the United Press International, two pieces of legislation have been introduced in Maryland's General Assembly to provide residents with more information about their food choices and improve the nutritional quality of food served in the state's restaurants.

The first bill, introduced by Sen. David Harrington (D) and Delegate Doyle Niemann (D), would require chain restaurants with more than 15 locations nationwide to post the calorie, saturated fat and trans fat content of each food item on menu boards or printed menus at sit-down establishments.

The second bill, introduced by Delegate James Hubbard (D) would require that all Maryland eateries phase out menu items containing trans fats by October 2010.

A study in the December 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health suggests that adolescents who attend schools within a half-mile radius of a fast food restaurant are much more likely to be overweight than their peers where this option does not exist.

Reuters reported that the Azusa Pacific University in California reviewed data on more than

500,000 middle

and high school students that participated in the California Healthy Kids Survey.

The results revealed that 28 percent of the students were overweight and 12 percent were obese. Moreover, the study also revealed that 55 percent of the overweight and obese students attended school within a halfmile of a fast food restaurant. In addition, these particular individuals were less likely to eat fruits and vegetables.

Based on the findings, the researchers recommend that schools implement policies such as limiting student access to fast food outlets during lunchtime or enacting zoning limitations for such establishments.

According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal, pediatricians are treating children as young as 2 for overweight issues and that weight-management centers for young children are on the rise. Adults need to learn about healthy choices. In most cases where toddlers are overweight, the parents tend to have weight issues of their own.

Because the programs are so new, their effectiveness cannot be determined. Experts caution that children up to the age of 5 need a higher percentage of fat in their diet than do adults, so following professionals' nutrition advice is critical for parents who want to manage their children's weight.

A study published in the January issue of Pediatrics suggests that pediatricians diagnose only about onethird of overweight or obese children. Researchers from the MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland reviewed medical records for more than 60,000 children between the ages of 2 and 18.

The study revealed that only 34 percent of all overweight and obese children were correctly diagnosed by a pediatrician. The study also suggests that girls were more likely to be correctly diagnosed than boys. Latino and African-American children were more likely to be diagnosed than Caucasian children.

Obesity affects more than one's individual health. A report from the nonprofit business research group the Conference Board suggests that obesity is costing U.S. businesses $45 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity.

Healthful lifestyle choices depend on a range of external factors such as price, availability, personal preferences and cultural values. As food prices continue to increase, healthful options are on the decline and are a contributing factor to obesity among low-income Americans.

The answer is not simple and is based on many ramifications. However, as long as awareness and public pressure remains a daily ingredient, healthy choices and lifestyles will remain a provision for revisions.

SECRET INGREDIENT: Nutrition. "Let your foods be your medicine, and your medicine your food" … Hippocrates

LET'S PLAY PICK-UP STICKS (BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH SWEETENED HAM STICKS):

8 firm apples, washed and cored
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 pound julienne strips of ham
(julienne means to cut into very thin
strips)

2 teaspoons margarine
low fat Cool Whip

1. Sauté strips of ham in margarine and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Wash and core apples. Remove a thin section of skin from top of apples.

4. In a medium bowl, mix ham, raisins, marshmallows and dry spices.

5. Stuff apples with ham mixture

6. Place apples in a baking dish and add apple juice. Drizzle honey over apples.

7. Cover with tin foil and bake 30 to 35 minutes.

8. Allow apples to sit for 5 minutes. 9. When serving, top with Cool Whip.

FUN CULINARY FACTS:

n Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie

n Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.

n Pigs have a great sense of smell and are used to find truffles.

n Pigs do not have effective sweat glands, so they role in the mud to cool themselves.

n Pigs have 44 teeth

n Kotetsu, a pot bellied pig that lives in Japan, made the Guiness Book of Records by jumping 27.5 inches.