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Some parents say their children ate more fast food in the pandemic

2021-09-20T19:21:15.716Z


The National Survey on Child Health shows that one in five parents believe their children ate fast food at least twice a week.


Do you know why you like junk food?

12:45

(CNN) -

For some families, the pandemic has ruined healthy eating plans due to the stress of teleworking, online learning, money problems, illness and other things.


While half of the parents surveyed said their family had eaten homemade food more often since the pandemic began, 20% of parents said their family had eaten fast food more often, according to a new survey released Monday. .

More than 2,000 parents participated in the University of Michigan CS Mott Children's Hospital National Children's Health Survey, which surveyed parents with at least one child between the ages of 3 and 18.

  • Food in pandemic: "It is in our hands to strengthen the defenses"

"We know that families' lifestyles can affect children's diets, so we look at how the pandemic may have changed their eating habits," said Dr. Gary L. Freed, co-director of the survey and pediatrician at CS Mott Children's Hospital, in a statement.

Reports of children consuming fast food at least twice a week were more common among parents with lower incomes (less than $ 50,000 a year) and those who thought their children were overweight.

Lower-income parents were more likely than higher-income parents (more than $ 100,000 per year) to say their child was overweight.

"There is compelling data that regular consumption of fast food predisposes children to unwanted weight gain," said Dr. Maya Adam, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University in California, who was not involved in the report, via email.

"Parents love their children, so they are often the first to notice potential health problems."

For these parents, "the demands and stresses of daily life require compromises," the report's authors wrote.

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  • Childhood obesity multiplied by 10 in the last 40 years

Most parents agreed that fast food is unhealthy for their children, is more expensive than making meals at home, and is not cost effective.

However, 72% of parents felt that when time is short, fast food is a good option for the family, and 84% considered fast food is okay in moderation.

"We've clearly gotten the message that cooking is too complicated and time consuming, and highly processed fast food is the answer," says Adam. "We can also create habits with regard to our eating: if we get used to ordering all our meals in fast food restaurants, it is uncomfortable and difficult to take out a pot and boil water for a simple pasta with vegetables and cheese."

According to the report, when ordering fast food, 88% of parents let their children choose what they want and few parents read the nutritional information. However, more than half of parents encouraged their children to choose healthier options or tried to limit foods like potato chips and milkshakes. Children considered overweight by their parents were more likely than children considered "adequate weight" to have a soda with their fast food.

"A single fast food usually exceeds the recommended intake of fat, sodium and calories for the entire day without providing many nutrients," said Freed.

"The consumption of sugary drinks poses a real risk to the health of both children and adults. It increases the risk of children gaining weight and having cavities, and of suffering from preventable diseases such as obesity."

In many fast foods, sugary drinks are the main source of calories, according to the report.

Tips for choosing better or cooking more

Any food is usually fine in moderation, Adam said, but "the tricky thing about fast food is that it is very difficult to consume in moderation."

"Typically large portion sizes are not conducive to moderate consumption, and secondly, many highly processed foods are designed to be almost addictively tasty," he added.

"They can activate a reward pathway in our brain ... This keeps people coming back for more."

This is good business for the fast food industry, but bad news for the health of our children.

Some parents said the barriers to having home cooked meals were being too busy or stressed.

Also, home cooking might be less feasible for families without a car or grocery store nearby, the authors wrote.

If you sometimes need to turn to fast food but want your kids to eat healthier, encourage them to order milk or water instead of soda, Freed said.

Some fast food restaurants offer

grilled chicken

nuggets

, fruit glasses, or apple slices in addition to fried food options.

"Parents of younger children should read labels and ultimately make decisions, but as children get older, educating them on how to read nutrition labels can prepare them to be more informed consumers throughout their lives," Adam advised.

When promoting the choice of certain foods in general, try to do so without sowing the seeds of eating disorders, body image problems, or the perception of foods as good or bad.

The best way to do this is to model sensible, balanced, and positive eating habits that your kids are likely to copy, Adam said.

  • A personal meal plan can save your sanity this year

If you want your kids to eat more at home but run into obstacles related to transportation or finances, consider our detailed guide on how your family can eat healthy on a budget. The guide includes tips for saving money, buying foods that will keep your family satisfied longer, making inexpensive recipes, and reusing ingredients, which could mean fewer trips to the store.

The authors suggest that cooking can increase family time.

"Parents can cook with their young children, and in the case of older children, they can encourage them to experiment in the kitchen on their own or to take turns preparing a family meal," they wrote.

"Although it may take longer to prepare food with children or adolescents, it is also an opportunity [to] share an experience or learn something new together."

fast food child obesity

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2021-09-20

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