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Bake Sales The Next Battleground For Childhood Obesity? Doctors Offer New Guidelines For Treating Kids

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Bake sales and low-quality birthday party food items may be the next targets in childhood obesity. The American Academy of Pediatrics has come up with a new policy statement and they want parents to reconsider baking brownies and considering chocolate drizzled strawberries instead.

Doctors say a two-decade program have improved the quality of school lunches, adding fruits, lean meats and low fat milks. But doctors say informal sources - like bake sales and classroom parties - are where we often let our guard down, or use fatty foods as a reward for a job well done.

Dr. Robert Murray with Ohio State University and co-wrote the Academy's new policy statement.

"They use treats as rewards and so the kid does a good job…this is America and that's how we always celebrate. We eat. When you have a classroom, you have 30 birthdays and you have Halloween and Christmas and Easter and you have banquets and celebrations and fundraisers; it begins to add up and it ends up being a huge source of low-quality food," Murray said.

Dr. Murray says that doesn't mean we need to cancel parties entirely.

"If I were going to have a birthday party, maybe instead of bringing in Rice Krispies treats, I bring in Jumbo strawberries that have been dipped in a little bit of chocolate or sprinkled with a little bit of powdered sugar," he said. "That way you're using the sweetener to drive the nutrients. That's the philosophy we want to get across."

He says a lot of schools have switched to non-food items as fundraisers and they're not just magazines that no one reads, its gift wrap or community service.

The Academy of Pediatrics suggests the following guidelines school events and packed lunches:

  • Select a mix of foods from the five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, low-fat dairy, and quality protein sources, including lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds and eggs).
  • Offer a variety of food experiences.
  • Avoid highly processed foods.
  • Use small amounts of sugar, salt, fats and oils with highly nutritious foods to enhance enjoyment and consumption.
  • Offer appropriate portions.

 

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