If kids must snack, make it healthy

Our kids may be snacking themselves into obesity.

They're eating more than one-quarter of their daily calories between meals, with the bulk of the snacks coming from nutrient-poor foods, especially desserts and sweetened drinks.

Kids are snacking more than ever, a trend that has added 168 calories per day to their diets between 1977 and 2006, tracking with the rise in childhood obesity.

These snack facts were reported in the journal Health Affairs this month by UNC nutrition researchers Carmen Piernas and Barry Popkin. They analyzed national survey data representing the diets of more than 31,000 children.

Kids snack almost three times a day, according to the research. They are eating almost continuously.

Why?

For starters, the food is there.

I wrote about the issue of kids' snacks in this column a few years ago. At the time, one reader commented on the common practice of providing snacks to kids after every sporting event, practice or celebration.

She asked, "Whatever happened to 'Great job, kids!'"

Not all snacks are bad, but our kids eat too much, too often. Most children ages 6 and older need no more than one snack each day, and fruits and vegetables should figure prominently.

Right now, they don't. In addition to desserts and sweet drinks, kids are also snacking on more candy and chips than before.

How can you help get a handle on your child's snack habits?

Several strategies may help.

First, get into a reliable meal routine. It may reduce the need for a boost between meals and help reduce hunger-induced, impulse eating. To do this:

Start with a substantial breakfast. Whole grain cereal or toast with nonfat milk or yogurt and fresh fruit are good examples.

Make sure your child eats a decent lunch. The standard school lunch isn't perfect, but it's not junk. Or pack your child's lunch, but make sure it includes fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and water to drink. No snack chips, soft drinks, candy or junk.

Nothing but fruit between meals. Between lunch and supper, keep calories from snacks to a minimum. If cookies and chips are handy, that's what you and I will eat and so will our kids. Set out a bowl of colorful, seasonal fruit and then snack only from it.

Sit down to dinner. Include plenty of vegetables and a salad. Research suggests that kids who eat meals with their parents have healthier diets.

Next, reduce the number of snackable moments. Field trips, sporting events and meetings do not require food.

Supply water - not soft drinks and sports drinks - at sports practices and games.

Take a hard look at the quality of the snacks you make available, too. Vending machines should be off limits to kids when they're away from home.

Instead, redirect kids to better options to take with them when they're out or at home.

Good choices include all fresh fruits, vegetable salads, whole grain breakfast cereals (even for dinner - really, it's OK) with skim milk or any fortified, nondairy milk, popcorn, hummus with pita bread, and nonfat yogurt.

Put a cap on eating. Begin by helping your child limit snacks.