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Lunchbox
Makeovers
Give a healthy start to the new school year |
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It's back-to-school time and that
means new books, new school supplies and a trip to the mall for
some new clothes. During these shopping trips for the perfect
first-day-of-school outfit, parents often notice how much their
children have grown. But for many kids, they’re not just growing
taller – they’re growing fatter.
According to the
American Obesity Association,
approximately 15.3 percent of children ages six and over have
been diagnosed as clinically obese. And many parents have
watched them pack on the pounds with their very own eyes. “Those
added pounds aren’t just a cosmetic concern,” says
Paige Suffredini, M.D., a
pediatrician at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic (ADC). “They can
have serious future health consequences. So to protect your
children’s health, now and in the future, healthy lifestyle
choices and changes need to be made by both parent and child.”
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Maintaining a healthy lifestyle comes down to choices, and
learning how to make the right ones starts at home. Kids learn
healthy behaviors by watching adults, mainly parents who show
through their own actions what is healthy and what is not. “By
sending your child off to school with a lunchbox full of
nutritious food, you’re choosing to set a healthy example for
your child,” explains Dr. Suffredini. “It’s an example that they
will learn to follow.” She recommends the following tips for
packing a healthy lunch:
• Choose 1 percent or
fat-free milk
• Put low-fat or fat-free cheeses on sandwiches
• Switch from high fat lunch meats such as bologna, salami and
pastrami to lower-fat alternatives such as low-fat or fat-free
turkey or chicken breast
• Include at least one serving of fruit in every lunch
• Put vegetables — like lettuce or slices of tomato — on
sandwiches
• Use whole grain bread instead of white bread for sandwiches
• Limit desserts such as cookies and snack cakes
• Pack baked chips, pretzels or low-fat crackers instead of
potato, corn, tortilla or other chips made with oil or Olean
• Instead of juice, water and milk are the best options for
drinks.
• If your child prefers to eat at the school cafeteria, go
over the menu together and recommend items that are healthier.
“Because childhood obesity can
increase the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes in
adulthood, it is important for parents to implement a healthy
lifestyle at an early age,” says Dr. Suffredini. “Learning
nutritious eating habits as a child will help children to make
smarter choices when they are at school and with their friends.
The example that you set for your child now will carry through
to adulthood, so it’s up to you to choose to create a healthy
home for your child.”
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Paige Suffredini, M.D.,
is a board-certified pediatrician at the ADC Family Practice and
Pediatric Center, 2400 Cedar Bend Drive. ADC is a
multi-specialty clinic with physicians representing 24 medical
specialties at six locations throughout Austin and Central
Texas.
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