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Avoid the snack debacle !

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Beanstalk Express®Founded in 2007 by Deirdre Pizzoferrato, Beanstalk Express is a CT-based company that creates products, programs and services to counter childhood obesity. At Beanstalk Express, our mission is to enlighten parents, empower children and inspire a healthier generation of kids.Deirdre Pizzoferrato, "The Nutrition Nanny"Deirdre Pizzoferrato is a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Nutritionist, a Child and Adolescent Weight Management Specialist, Researcher and a nationally recognized child nutrition expert and speaker. As The Nutrition Nanny, Deirdre helps parents navigate their way through our complicated, highly addictive and toxic food environment, and with an innovative and unmatched approach, helps them keep their kids on track to healthy futures through the one food environment they can control: their home.Deirdre lives in CT with her husband John and their 3 children.
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Article 1

Eating For Two

When it comes to anatomy and physiology, nothing is more awe inspiring than pregnancy. Woman are physically designed to create, host and support the development of a new life. And in many ways, our bodies have been "prepped" for this call of duty - storing excess and essential fat in areas we work effortlessly to try to get rid of, calcium and minerals in our bones "just in case" - and a huge hormonal and chemical network that operate almost like a generator - providing needed energy if ever there was a "blackout" - or in our ancestor's situation, an unpredictable winter. But thanks to the agricultural revolution and the "dawn of civilization" - most pregnant women today do not need to rely on their stored resources to carry their babies to term. In fact, this overabundance of food may be presenting a whole new set of challenges for pregnancy in the 21st century, and the future health of the unborn baby. Growing evidence that "they" are what you eatFor ages, nutritional concerns during pregnancy have always been approached on the side of the mother's. The only concerns for gaining too much weight during pregnancy were focused on the risks of gestational diabetes and the potential complications during labor and delivery. These same risks hold true today, but there are now concerns over the connection between the mom's diet during and after pregnancy, and on the future food preferences and eating habits of her unborn baby. Yikes! Not very comforting considering pregnancy is notorious for ravenous appetites, indulgent cravings and the age-old sentiment that "eating for two" is not only accepted - but almost expected! In the midst of an epidemic of childhood obesity, prevention is crucial. Current research shows that prevention should begin as early as gestation. That in fact, mom's eating feeding patterns and food preferences have a direct affect on the fetus, exposure it to flavors and eating behaviors likely to be inherited (3,4). A Womb With A ViewEating For TwoTo make sense of this, some attention needs to be put on the "accommodations" that you will be providing for your growing guest, and how your behaviors - specifically eating - affect the quality of their environment. For approximately 40 weeks, your developing baby will exist within the cozy, warm confines of the amniotic sac - or commonly referred to as "the womb." Surrounded by the buoyancy of amniotic fluid, this environment provides protection from the outside world while allowing your baby the movement needed to develop their muscular and skeletal systems. Amniotic fluid is mainly composed of water, but also contains carbohydrates, lipids, protein, and electrolytes. Although it does not provide your baby with nutrition (that is the job of the placenta!), the amniotic fluid is believed to have an influence on the future food preferences and eating habitsof the developing fetus. The explanation for this has to do with the ability for certain flavors from your diet to seep into the amniotic fluid and breast milk. At approximately 7 weeks gestation, your baby will begin to develop taste buds and has its first exposures to flavors through those present in the amniotic fluid (1,2,3,4). By 12 weeks gestation, your baby actually begins to swallow and inhale amniotic fluid - a voluntary act and one that is driven, scientists are now determining, by preference. As humans, we are innately "programmed" to accept sweet tastes - believed to be associated with the quick provision of energy needed for survival, and reject bitter tastes, associated with poison and death. This survival mechanism proved to be most useful to our earliest ancestors in avoiding poisonous berry and plants. Some theorists offer the explanation that the "leaking" of specific plant based flavors (many of which are bitter in taste) into the mother's amniotic fluid and breast milk was a way to prepare the baby for its diet on the outside. This gradual introduction to safe, bitter-tasting plants could then allow the offspring the ability to recognize safe foods necessary for their survival. Now - fast forward to the diet of the 21st century. Not quite what our "genetic programmers" had in mind when they created the menu sampling mechanism of flavoring the amniotic fluid. It is believed to be this presence of flavor within the amniotic environment that first exposes the fetus to sugar, salt and fat. And if mom's diet consists of a lot of sugar, you can believe her amniotic fluid will as well. On ultra sound, a fetus can be seen swallowing and inhaling copious amounts of amniotic fluid after a meal or snack high in sugar, and in the presence of bitter flavors (common to vegetables such as broccoli or spinach), the same fetus will close his lips - clearly exhibiting preference for sweet over bitter. In a recent study that examined the benefits of consuming adequate vegetables during pregnancy and breastfeeding, it was determined that mothers who did in fact consume particular vegetables throughout pregnancy and during breastfeeding had babies who displayed a quicker acceptance of those same vegetables once solid foods were introduced (4,5,6). Of course modeling healthy eating habits are essential for the long-term success of healthy habit building in our children, it is now evident that this modeling begins as early as conception! References1. J.A. Mannella, et. al., "Garlic ingestion by pregnant women alters the odor of amniotic fluid," Chemical Senses 20, no. 2 (1995): 207-2092. GJ Hauser, et. al., "Peculiar odours in newborns and maternal prenatal ingestion of spicy foods," European Journal of Pediatrics 144, no. 4 (1985): 4033. B. Schaal, et. at., "Human feotuses learn odours from their pregnant mother's diet," Chemical Senses 25 (2000): 729-7374. JA Mannella, et. al, "Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants," Pediatrics 107, no. 6 (2001) 88-945. JA Mannella, et. al, "Maternal die alters the sensory qualities in human milk and nursling's behavior," Pediatrics 88 (1991): 737-7446. J Savage, et. al., "Parental Influences on Eating Behavior: Conception to Adolescents," The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics (2007) 35:227. D Berzy, "Lifecycle Nutrition: Pregnancy," Manual of Clinical Dietetics (2000): 6; 109-127

Article 2

A Healthy Start In Life!

The first year of your baby's life is marked by tremendous growth. By their first birthday, your baby should have nearly tripled his or her birth weight! With this first year of life, or "infancy" begins the development of eating behaviors that help shape future food preferences and eating habits. These behaviors may influence what they eat, when they eat, where they eat and even why they eat. These behaviors are greatly influenced by their surroundings, more specifically: their family and home.The ability to raise children to make healthy choices, control their own intake and resist over-eating is greatly influenced throughout different stages of feeding, and through the interactions of their environment. Breast FeedingBreast or bottle? New mothers are quickly put in the position of making the decision whether to breastfeed or formula-feed. Peer, medical and even spousal 'pressure' to breastfeed is often placed on new mothers. The decision to breast-feed or formula feed comes down to a personal decision, and one that best suits you and your baby. However, the benefits of breastfeeding should be considered before your baby is even born - they are too important to overlook. There is no arguing the benefits of breast-feeding over formula feeding - despite how advanced our infant formulas are today. The fact is: breast milk is uniquely designed to meet the needs of your baby. These needs include necessary proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the appropriate forms and concentrations. Breast milk also provides immune-system enhancing benefits that are believed to help reduce the amount of ear infections, upper respiratory infections and diarrhea (10). Breastfeeding is also more cost effective, always available and at the perfect temperature! In addition to all of that, breastfeeding is believed to help provide protection against the onset of overweight and obesity in our children. Unlike the nutrients and immune boosting benefits, these benefits of protection are not a detectable nutrient, but rather intrinsic behavioral and metabolic mechanisms that are realized through the act of breastfeeding (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8). Such mechanisms as: Ability to control their own intakeWe are all born with an innate "cueing" system that alerts us to when we are hungry, and when we have had enough to eat, otherwise known as satiety - or being "satisfied." The ability of a baby to respond to their "satiety" cues has a lot to do with mom's interference - or lack there of. While breastfeeding, mothers do not have a visual gage as to how much their baby is taking in. This gives their babies full control over their intake - and they are able to respond to their internal cues for satiety. With formula and bottle fed babies, there is more 'mommy-induced' control over the feedings. Mom's encouragement to finish the bottle often requires her baby to eat past their satiety cues. Over time, this inability to respond to their internal cues can disrupt their abilities to self regulate their food intake (1,2,9). And the inability to control or manage the intake of food, leading us to overeat - is a contributor to the onset of overweight in children and adults. Acceptance to Healthy FoodsTrue or false: Eating broccoli will make your baby gassy.Answer: False There has never been a study that has confirmed this old wives tale. Broccoli, cauliflower and some beans are known gas producers in our diets because of the bacteria that are produced from the breakdown of fiber during digestion. This occurs within the GI track and cannot be transferred to mom's milk. What is typical, however, is for breastfeeding mothers to rationalize these common fussy or gassy behaviors that many newborns experience, on to something they have eaten in their diet. What is important in healthy habit building is to incorporate these vegetables - and as many others as possible - into your diet while breastfeeding. Studies have shown that the flavors of many foods can actually seep into and 'flavor' the breast milk. The early introduction of vegetables among breast fed babies is often easier in transition and quicker in acceptance after they have had prior exposure to the same flavors from breast milk (4,5,6,7,8,9). The flavor bridge to healthy food preferences begins as early as gestation and lactation, and is greatly influenced through your own diet! By incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet, your ability to begin healthy habit building can start during pregnancy, and carry on through the first few months of breastfeeding. Experts believe it may take a baby up to seven early exposures (either through the amniotic fluid or through breast milk) to create a positive effect on the future acceptance of that same vegetable (9). But be mindful - just as this flavor bridge can influence your child to become more readily accepting of healthy food choices, this same flavor bridge can just as easily influence the early formation of unhealthy eating preferences and habits. If your diet is high in processed foods, concentrated sugars and fat - you very well may be influencing those same preferences on your baby. The benefits of breast feeding in providing protection against obesity later on in life presents a compelling case as to why mom's should give it their greatest effort. However, the benefits outlined above are believed to provide 'protection' - not immunity against obesity. And the benefits of protection are not consistent in all breast-fed children. Many formula and bottle fed children grow up to maintain a healthy body weight and exhibit healthy eating behaviors, while many breast-fed children grow up to become obese adults prone to diabetes, heart disease and cancers (16). These findings further demonstrate that healthy habit building consists of various factors and at different stages in life. Solid Food IntroductionThe American Academy of Pediatrics recommends beginning your baby on solids between 4 and 6 months of life. Discuss your baby's developmental readiness with your Pediatrician before beginning solids. Solid food introduction begins with the single introduction of grains, vegetables and fruits and eventually transitions to finger and table food items by their first birthday. There are many situations during this formative year of food introduction when the interaction of parents or caregivers can negatively influence their child's acceptance of healthy foods. These influences may appear seemingly innocent, and in fact considered common practice - but the reality is that it could potentially sabotage the efforts of encouraging healthy food choices. Being aware of these influences could help avoid pitfalls along the way of healthy habit building. Encourage their acceptance of first vegetablesOkay, lets be honest: how many adults stock up on strained and pureed spinach, green beans and peas? The reality is that many baby foods are not very pleasing on the eyes or the nose! But just because we wouldn't eat it for dinner doesn't mean our babies shouldn't eat it either! Don't forget - their innate preferences are to sweet foods, like bananas and pears. The green and orange stuff definitely makes their faces grimace, their tongues thrust and may even cause a shiver or two. These reactions are not only common - but they are expected! Babies are born with a fear of new tastes, known as food "neophobic" - and will require repeated exposure before acceptance. Part of their acceptance is your stamp of approval. However, your stamp of approval is often null and void by seemingly innocent gestures: DON'T: agree with them! Grimacing back with a similar distasteful facial expression further validates your baby's initial rejection. Some parents may even add a playful comment along with the facial grimace, such as: "I know it's yucky! DO: Even though it really looks and smells unappetizing to you - try to remain neutral! We're building healthy habits, here, and getting past the initial rejection stage may take up to 10 tries of that same "yucky" vegetable! Your baby will look for validation in you - so smile, say yummy work it! DON'T: add bananas, applesauce or pears to the peas! Covering the bland or bitter flavors from vegetables just further validates that the taste is so bad that mom had to 'make it go away' by adding dessert to it. Not only does this further confirm the 'yuck factor,' but it also emphasizes that sweet foods are not just delicious - but can act as a bandage as well. Do: Be sensitive to your baby's cues - don't try to push past their refusal. But just as important, don't give up after just a few rejections. Like most everything else that is not innate, acceptance will take practice, patience and perseverance. On average, it may take up to 10 introductions of any given food before your child will accept them into their diet. So don't toss in the towel after a couple rejections! Don't introduce unnecessary and inappropriate food itemsIn 2002, a national survey was conducted to analyze the diets of over 3,000 random infants and toddlers. This study, named FITS for "Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study" revealed that on average, babies and toddlers were consuming more calories than needed, were eating far below the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and consumed inappropriately high calorie foods items such as French fries, high sugar desserts and fruit juice as early as 4-6 months of age (11). As your baby advances from pureed foods to a diet that is more similar to yours, introduction of fast foods and processed food items may be tempting. During these most formative stages of your baby's development, introducing foods high in fat, salt, sugar, artificial colors and additives may sabotage your efforts in establishing healthy habits. Babies and toddlers need very little sodium, and most processed and fast foods are loaded with salt. This puts a lot of stress on their kidneys, which are still being developed. In addition, excess fat and sugar add extra calories to your baby's diet without added benefits of nutrition - and are known contributors of obesity. Offer fruit juice in moderation (if at all!)Aside from the potential relief of constipation from prune or pear juice, there are no substantial benefits from giving your baby fruit juice. The American Academy of Pediatrics do not recommend introducing fruit juice into your babies diet before the age of 6 months, and even then not to exceed 4-6 ounces a day. Despite these recommendations, the AAP does acknowledge the risks of over consumption of fruit juice in babies and toddlers diets in their policy statement titled "The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Pediatrics" Some of these risks include the potential decline in intake of beneficial nutrition such as milk and formula, decrease in whole fruit intake (which contains fiber and naturally occurring vitamins and minerals); chronic diarrhea, and may predispose them to dental cavities. There is also the risk of your child becoming dependent on juice as their source of hydration because it tastes so good. Overconsumption of fruit juice is a known contributor of obesity in children. If you do introduce your baby to fruit juice - follow the recommendations as outlined by the AAP: Do not introduce juice before 6 months, include it as part of a nutritional meal or snack - not sipped on throughout the day, and do not put juice in baby bottles - use a toddler cup. If you follow these guidelines, than 100% natural fruit juice can be incorporated into your child's healthy diet. Be A Super ModelYour infant is taking in all the sights of his new environment! Your habits, routines and behaviors are not going unnoticed! Modeling healthy habits is essential for building healthy habits in your child. If you do not want your child's diet to consist of processed foods high saturated fat, salt and sugar - than yours shouldn't either. The "Do as I say, not as I do" model of parenting confuses your message and intentions, and could even set your child up for eating disorders later on in life from a preoccupation of "forbidden" foods (9). Create an eating environment that embraces nutritious foods and healthy behaviors that everyone participates in. Take this time to evaluate your own diet and the feeding environment within your home. Do you encourage whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low fat and low sodium foods? Being able to make modifications to the eating environment your infant will grow up in will make a tremendous difference in building healthy habits in her future. References1. LS Adair, "The infant's ability to self regulate caloric intake: A case study," Journal of the American Dietetic Association 84, no. 5 (1984): 545-5462. SJ Fomon, et. al., "Influence of Formula Concentration on Caloric Intake and Growth of Normal Infants." ACTA Pediatrica Scandinavica 64 (1975): 172-1813. MK Fox, et. al., "Relationships between portion size and energy intake among infants and toddlers: evidence of self-regulation" JADA 106 (2006) 577-5834. J.A. Mannella, et. al., "Garlic ingestion by pregnant women alters the odor of amniotic fluid," Chemical Senses 20, no. 2 (1995): 207-2095. GJ Hauser, et. al., "Peculiar odours in newborns and maternal prenatal ingestion of spicy foods," European Journal of Pediatrics 144, no. 4 (1985): 4036. B. Schaal, et. at., "Human feotuses learn odours from their pregnant mother's diet," Chemical Senses 25 (2000): 729-7377. JA Mannella, et. al, "Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants," Pediatrics 107, no. 6 (2001) 88-948. JA Mannella, et. al, "Maternal die alters the sensory qualities in human milk and nursling's behavior," Pediatrics 88 (1991): 737-7449. J Savage, et. al., "Parental Influences on Eating Behavior: Conception to Adolescents," The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics (2007) 35:2210. D Berzy, "Lifecycle Nutrition: Full-Term Infants," Manual of Clinical Dietetics (2000): 6; 69-7911. R Briefel, "Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study," Pediatric Basics (2004) no. 10512. Isaacs JS. "Nutrition for the School-Age Child," Clinical Manual of Pediatric Nutrition, The American Dietetic Association, 2007; 73-8113. JA Mannella, et. al, "Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants," Pediatrics 107, no. 6 (2001) 88-9414. JA Mannella, et. al, "Maternal die alters the sensory qualities in human milk and nursling's behavior," Pediatrics 88 (1991): 737-74415. J Savage, et. al., "Parental Influences on Eating Behavior Conception to Adolescents," The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics (2007) 35:2216. KB Michels, et. al. "A longitudinal study of infant feeding and obesity throughout life course," International Journal of Obesity (2007); 31: 1078-1085

Article 3

Navigating Through The Toddler Years

The years between 1 and 3 are most commonly referred to as the toddler years. These are years filled with tremendous social, physical and developmental growth. But don't be fooled… They are also years associated tantrums, mood swings, unpredictability and oppositional behaviors that include hitting, pushing, biting and hair pulling! Much of these tumultuous behaviors have been wrapped into an appropriately titled phrase known as "the terrible twos." - although most parents who have been through toddlerhood will agree that sometimes it starts earlier and ends even later!Toddlers are notorious for seeking independence and autonomy. Yet, they still demand structure and the security of boundaries. Their inability to effectively communicate their needs often result in frustration and in some cases, one or more oppositional behaviors! Often times their inability to communicate is parlayed into an emotion that they can communicate - such as hunger and eating. In fact, many unhealthy habits are established during the toddler years as a result of this inability to effectively communicate. From incessant snacking to meal refusal, our response as parents and caregivers is crucial to staying on course for healthy habit building. Being able to identify and overcome many of the common nutritional pitfalls that occur during toddlerhood may help parents persevere and stay on track.Changing NeedsThe toddler years are the most formative years in helping your child to establish healthy eating habits to be cultivated and carried throughout life. Unfortunately, toddlerhood is perhaps one of the most - if not the most - challenging periods for getting children to eat at all- let alone eat healthy! Many of the roadblocks that parents face has much to do with our own inability to fully understand what exactly is going on in our little tot's minds and bodies. After a first year of literally eating around the clock, we are now faced with children who won't eat at all! Or else it seems that way to us. But what parents may not understand is that this 'halt' in appetite is quite common and actually to be expected. After a year of rapid growth that occurs during infancy, a toddler's growth rate decreases dramatically after their first birthday (2). This means their caloric needs are decreased as well. Minding their peas and 'cues' at mealtimeFamily meals have long been associated with family bonding, connectivity and a sense of security among its members. Recent studies show that this connectivity and source of bonding may offer a variety of social, behavioral and psychological benefits that extend throughout adolescence. Studies have shown that adolescents who ate more family meals per week, 4-7 on average, were less likely to engage in cigarette smoking, marijuana and alcohol use and on average had higher grades, less anxiety and less suicidal thoughts (1). Many would argue that the decline of the American diet and the epidemic of obesity began when family dinners declined. It would make for an interesting debate, considering the studies which confirm that children who participate in family meals are more likely to eat a balanced diet which includes fruits and vegetables, have less obesity rates, are generally happier and have higher self esteem. This parlays into all aspects of their lives as they grow into adolescents and teenagers. Many families that have young children unconsciously create a disconnect with family meals due to a variety of reasons, which include adhering to toddler schedules, feeding two different meals (one for the children, another for adults) and the avoidance of stress and frustration that results from mealtime battles with their toddlers. These battles are common among toddlers and even preschoolers, and the reasons why are pretty vast. Much has to do with their inabilities to communicate their internal feeding cues and properly say, "I am no longer hungry. Please don't make me force-feed myself again for a cookie." Coercion, threats and even deceptive techniques only add to their 'fears' of eating it. Try not to use coercion or punishment to get your child to eat. Or sometimes they are just flat out too tired. By being able to understand a toddler's unpredictable mealtime behavior can ease both the child and the caregiver's anxieties, and help bring about solutions rather than mayhem! And in the best-case scenario, bring family dining into more kitchens and dining rooms! The Snack DebacleFor many toddlers, it appears that their third word after 'mama' and 'dada' is 'SNACK!' Our children today are snacking a lot. And this incessant snacking is helping fuel the epidemic of obesity among our children. The reality is this: children do need to snack! In fact, in addition to 3 meals each day, toddlers need 2 to 3 snacks to help meet their high-energy needs. So "snacking" is not the culprit in unhealthy habit building, it's what our children are snacking on, and how frequently they are snacking that contributes to unhealthy food preferences, overconsumption and weight gain. Enough emphasis cannot be placed on these formative toddler years for healthy habit building. Early and frequent exposure to unhealthy snacks that are high in sugar, fat, salt and artificial colors and additives can certainly derail your long-term efforts of staying on track. This isn't to suggest you should 'ban' all snack items that aren't picked off a tree or pulled from the ground from your toddler's life! The billion-dollar snack industry makes it very difficult to ignore that such tempting and tantalizing snacks do exist! Unless we live in a cave, our children will eventually be exposed to them through TV, play dates, preschool and grandmas house! There is a difference between moderation and forbidding these types of snacks and foods from our child's diet. Forbidding, restricting and using derogatory terms such as "bad for you" and even "junk food" - has been shown to backfire on parents. This type of authoritarian position on 'junk food' has been shown to lead children to develop a preoccupation with these forbidden foods- which can lead to overconsumption and poor self-control over eating (4). So where do parents start? Should we include these highly processed foods into our children's diet for fear that they will one day binge on them? Or keep them out of the house all together - out of sight, out of mind? The answer to this is complicated because obesity is the result of various factors that include genetic predispositions, behavioral and environmental factors. Because everyone is different, there is no clear answer. But to help develop a foundation that includes healthy foods, than healthy choices should be what is most frequently available, offered and encouraged. Modeling the same behaviors we expect our children to adopt is at the core of their success in building healthy habits. References1. Neumark-Sztainer D, et. al., "The 'Family Meal': Views of adolescents," Journal of Nutrition education, (2000): 32; 329-3342. R Briefel, "Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study," Pediatric Basics (2004) no. 1053. Isaacs JS. "Nutrition for the Preschool Child," Clinical Manual of Pediatric Nutrition. The American Dietetic Association, 2007; 73-814. J Savage, et. al., "Parental Influences on Eating Behavior: Conception to Adolescents," The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics (2007) 35:22

Page 4

Staying On Track Through The Preschool Years

Somewhere between transitioning from diapers to underwear, cribs to beds and 5-point harnesses to booster seats - emerges the preschooler! And like the toddler stage - their developmental growth continues to soar. Most notably is their ongoing pursuit of independence and autonomy - and more and more protests for mommy's help! For many, this is sometimes a sad milestone because it really marks the end of 'babyhood'! But for many others, it is a welcomed period and one that in many ways marks the beginnings of easier days! In either situation, it is a normal and expected milestone and whether we are excited or a bit saddened, our reactions are very important. For parents and caregivers, the transition from toddlerhood to preschool age presents many unforeseen challenges. No longer able to rely on the physical and intellectual 'speed bumps' associated with our toddler's limitations to independent-seeking behaviors, our preschool child becomes more resourceful when rising to the challenge of whatever it is they are seeking. Whether it is dragging a kitchen stool over to climb up for a bag of cookies, scaling a bookshelf for a box of crayons or DVD or finally achieving the strength to pull open the refrigerator doors! It puts true definition in the old saying… "If there's a will, there's a way!" Parenting 101For many parents and caregivers, these years of social and environmental curiosity are often handled by different parenting 'philosophies' - two of which are probably the most common - or 'general' to most parenting styles today. The first, often referred to as an "authoritarian style" of parenting is that of resistance to many independence-seeking behaviors that our young children often exhibit, and making them a true battle of the wills - who will 'out-wit,' and ultimately 'out-last?' Their approach to some of these scenarios might be to hide the cookies in a different, harder-to-reach spot, or put the crayons and DVDs out of the view of curious eyes. With authoritarian style of parenting, there is a one-sided emphasis on enforcing rules, and unquestioned obedience expected from the child (2). The second approach is a more flexible style, one that embraces the "challenges" set by each advancing stage of development. This isn't some 'new-age' parenting skill that gives our 4-year olds free reign of the house. This philosophy, referred as an "authoritative* style" of parenting, uses techniques such as active listening, providing choices and encouraging decision-making. By setting clearly defined expectations (or 'rules') parents of authoritative styles explain why they are important: why grazing on cookies all day long isn't healthy, why the safety latches are on the doors under the kitchen sink, and why climbing up on bookshelves can be very dangerous. In turn, determining the appropriate consequences for 'breaking' the rules are more often understood and accepted by the child. ( 1,2). Let's face it - the single word 'no' loses its effect really fast, and with an authoritarian style of parenting, our curious preschooler may easily take the quick fork in the road and head down the path of being sneaky - potentially the early beginnings of a wide range of negative behaviors later on in life (1,2). Parenting styles are especially crucial when continuing on the road to building healthy habits and relationships with food. No longer able to physically keep kids out of the refrigerator or cupboards, being able to effectively communicate with why there isn't an 'all-you-can-eat buffet' of snack items at their whim can make a huge impact on their continued abilities to monitor and control their own intake of particular food items throughout life.EMBRACING THEIR CURIOSITYAs early as they 'developmentally' are able, engaging your child with all types of "hands-on" food preparation not only provides fun activities, but also peaks their interest in cooking, encourages independence and self-esteem and can even encourage the intake of healthy food items. Traditionally, kids are first (and sometimes only) introduced to baking - cookies, cup cakes, etc. But what many parents unknowingly realize is that children favorably receive the interactions with all types of foods. At the preschool age, this is a perfect time to start including them in certain "meal responsibilities" at suppertime: teaching them how to set the table (maybe mom can handle the glass ware for the time being!) - but folding napkins, placing placemats and forks. Even making individual place cards can be a great way to bring your child into the kitchen and may even create structure and some harmony during this "witching hour" of the day - when exhausted moms struggle to get supper on the table! Other great activities to safely involve your preschooler in the preparation of healthy foods is by having them create their own "salad" - allowing them to tear lettuce, snap peas, separate broccoli florets and count cherry tomatoes offer safe food handling practices and exposure them to very healthy foods. Studies show that when children are involved in healthy food preparation, their intake is greater (3).

Page 5

... and they're off!

Once our children enter into the school system, they will eventually become exposed to influences that far exceed good food and childhood nutrition. With our fingers crossed, we metaphorically "hand them over".The tools of childhood obesity prevention are naturally "easier" to implement before unhealthy habits are formed. But if you are a mom of high school children, perhaps battling issues of overweight and childhood obesity, then this website will still provide valuable insight and solutions to areas of change. It's never too late for making changes necessary to getting your family on the right track of healthy habits. Remember: your grandchildren will be the beneficiaries of good nutritional habits, even if you hopped on the train a bit late with your own children. A Final NoteMuch kudos is owed to legislation and the childhood obesity advocates that are working so hard to help make our school's environments healthier for our children. Removing soda machines, modifying school lunches and even increasing physical activity during the school day will make a tremendous impact on maintaining the healthy habits that have already been established. However, many parents must understand that it is not only unrealistic, but also nearly impossible for our school systems to "fix" childhood obesity. Childhood obesity begins at home, but it is never too late to put an end to it.

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Nutrition Nanny™

Nutrition Nanny™ brings healthy habits right to your doorstep! This convenient, innovative and hightly effective in-home "kitchentervention" helps rebuild healthy habits right at the source: your kitchen cupboards! Currently available only in Connecticut, but we'll let you know when a Nutrition Nanny™ franchise moves into your state!

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More Snack Choices!

Look for our line of sold-separate snack time

card decks that will include:

More snack-tivities!

More variety of fun, healthy and easy to prepare snacks!

Specialty decks for specific food allergies and conditions, including gluten-free, lactpse intolerance and peanut allergies.

And much more!

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The Screen Time Survival Deck & The After School Survival Deck

Because healthy habits, healthy bodies and healthy futures requires more than just making healthy food choices, we've incorporated the other key element into our product line: physical activity.Our "Screen Time Survival Deck", designed to interact with our patent-pending clockboard, gets kids off their hand-helds, and back on their feet! Kids earn screen time minutes through personal responsibility, physical activities and creative play.And our "After School Survival Deck", also designed to work with our patent-pending clockboard, brings organization and structure to the hours after the bell rings! Kids of all ages earn points based on the quality and performance of 3 important daily events: their after school snack, homework and play.