The number of obese children at my son's school and those I see playing on the playground frightens me. The lack of parents" knowledge about proper nutrition, over eating, and sedentary life styles created an epidemic of obesity in school-aged children. I am a registered nurse and a mother, so my concern for the health of my family and friends weighs heavily on my mind. I spent years working as a fitness instructor and learned a lot about nutrition so I hope this topic makes a sincere impact on my readers.
Many parents lack basic knowledge about proper nutrition. At the supermarket, I see parents purchasing juice boxes, fruit snacks, and cereal bars that they probably think supplies their children with the nutrients needed to sustain life. I witnessed my own mother in-law filling her fruit basket with the same three fruits over and over again: apples, bananas, and grapes. What parents fail to realize is that juice boxes contain high amounts of sugar and acid that rot the teeth and adds at least 120 calories per serving. The chewy fruit snacks also stick to the teeth causing tooth decay and add on additional empty calories. The cereal bars contain dyes, added fat for flavor, and processed flour that raises blood sugar levels without added nutrients or fiber. Apples, bananas, and grapes contain the highest amount of sugar content compared to berries of all kinds and melons. I rarely see grocery carts or baskets loaded with vegetables. Parents need to open their minds and try the other delicious fruits and vegetables available in the supermarket. They need to encourage their children to drink water instead of juice. Instead of cereal bars, why not take time to eat the real thing? Oatmeal for example is high in fiber and lower in sugar than the preprocessed cereal bars. Foods containing high levels of sugar raise insulin levels and store calories as fat. Overtime, over production of insulin can cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease later in life.
