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On which of the following items do you think American kids spend most of their own money: movies, toys, clothes, or food and drinks? The answer is food and drinks! What are kids buying? Not carrots and milk, that's for sure. Consider this: American kids drink twice as much soda as milk, and their favorite vegetable is french fries, so lots of them are doing their shopping at fast food restaurants and convenience stores. It's no wonder that one out of four children in the U.S. is overweight.
Unfortunately, what most kids don't realize is how much food-industry advertising is influencing them. Think about it: Junk food ads are everywhere—on book covers, vending machines, scoreboards, and even in textbooks. Of the food ads you see on TV or in magazines, how many of them promote healthful foods? Not many! About 91% of the foods advertised are high in fat, sugar, and salt. Hey, it's your money, but do you really want ads and marketing gimmicks telling you how to spend it? Probably not!
You're probably saying to yourself, "But I like my french fries and soda! I don't want to give them up!" Well, you don't necessarily need to give them up entirely, but you may want to go for a more balanced diet. This means that if you're going to order fries and soda, don't get the largest size, and try to replace some of the junk food you eat with choices that are more healthful.
Here are some ideas from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for making healthful food choices. The next time you're ordering pizza, try getting one that has half the amount of cheese, or try a no-cheese pie with grilled chicken and vegetables. You'll be cutting back on the fat without giving up the taste. And if you're looking for a sweet, frozen snack, go for a juice pop, or try drizzling chocolate syrup on a sliced banana and freezing it. Or if you want a snack you can eat on the go, grab some fruit or make your own trail mix using healthy cereal, nuts, dried fruit, and pretzels. Of course, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to cut back on the "liquid candy." Instead of soda, drink water, seltzer, low-fat milk, or orange juice. Remember, you have choices, and there's plenty of healthful food out there that's fun to eat.
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