HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutrition has moved up on mom's shopping list, as three in four moms (74 percent) consider the nutritional content of foods they purchase for their children more now than they did two to three years ago, says a new survey from Ronzoni(R) Smart Taste(TM). Furthermore, two-thirds (65 percent) of moms are more concerned now compared to two to three years ago about their children's nutrition.

However, the battle between nutrition and taste rages on as parents are actively seeking healthier foods they can be sure their kids will like. According to the survey of approximately 1,000 moms with children ages 5-17, nutritional content is the number one factor considered when buying grocery products for their children (27 percent), but mom's desire for nutrition is followed closely by her child's preference (22 percent).

Study Spotlights 'Exercise-Friendly' Day-Care Centers

"Childhood obesity is an epidemic that threatens the future health of our nation. We know that about 57 percent of all 3- to 5-year-olds in the United States attend child-care centers, so it's important to understand what factors will encourage them to be more active, and, hopefully, less likely to become obese," study co-author Dianne Ward said in a statement. Ward is director of the intervention and policy division in the nutrition department at University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill School of Public Health.

They found that children did more moderate and vigorous physical activity if the child-care center: had more portable play equipment, such as balls, jump ropes, hula hoops and riding toys; offered more opportunities for indoor and outdoor active play; and provided physical activity training and education for staff and students.

Diet helps keep children seizure-free

LAFAYETTE, Calif. Without hesitation, Cathy Holt can tell you how long it has been since Noah's latest seizure.The Lafayette, Calif., mother keeps a running total. Her blond, blue-eyed 4-year-old has been seizure-free for 40 weeks.That is a life-altering change for Noah, who had been averaging a seizure a week since he was 6 months old. The longest one lasted three hours. Many ended in a hospital emergency room.Noah tried state-of-the-art medications to control his epilepsy, without success.A low-tech approach transformed the boy's life a strict high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that defies all good-nutrition recommendations.Known as the ketogenic diet, it has been around since biblical times and has gone in and out of favor.Instead of fruits and vegetables, Noah's meals often include heavy cream, bacon and butter laced with cinnamon.Why and how the diet works remains a mystery.But Children's Hospital Oakland, Kaiser Permanente, the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford and other institutions have put scores of epileptic children on the diet, with varying degrees of success.Experts stress that the diet can have side effects and should be attempted only under strict medical supervision.

The Junior League Launches Third Annual Childhood Obesity And ...

The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) will launch its third annual Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen education initiative on childhood obesity and nutrition this March, in conjunction with National Nutrition Month in the U.S. and Canada. The well-established initiative, which helps communities across four countries address the consequences of childhood obesity and poor nutrition, will continue to help youngsters learn about healthy eating and involve them in the preparation of their own meals and snacks. Exclusive kids media partner, Cartoon Network, will support the program with on-air public service announcements, League-wide distribution of grassroots event-activation kits and an online animated educational game tied to the network's "Get Animated" pro-social platform.

The Vegetarian Who Won't Eat Vegetables?

Our resident natural nutritionist Vardit Kohn offers some cunning tips.

Raisingkids member's problem
My daughter is nearly 14 and has been a 'vegetarian' for about three years. The problem is that she does not eat vegetables! I try to give them to her but she makes excuses like she is full or not hungry and I can tell that she doesn't like them. Her diet is made up of quorn, fish, cheese, pasta and junk food (crisps and chocolate). She also refuses rice. She will not eat breakfast and seems to have no interest in food, forgetting to eat. I don't understand what is going wrong! She didn't have any problems with food as a small child. She doesn't appear underweight but claims that 'food is boring'. She doesn't show the symptoms of anorexia or bulimia but is simply
disinterested in eating.

Complimentary Nourishment For Qualified Beneficiaries

The ‘Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program,' also known as ‘Special Supplementary Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children,' aims to assist distressed families experiencing marked malnutrition.

Christopher Magryta column: Back to old-school parenting

As an advocate for the health of the children of Rowan County, I want to help give parents the tools they need to help their children live a life in wellness.

How does one effect change? I have been fighting this battle in my head and at Salisbury Pediatrics for nine years.

US Sabotages Global Chance for Optimum Health When World Food Body ...

Dr. Barbara Schneeman, head of the FDA Department of Supplements and Nutrition, stunned members of Codex Alimentarius, the UN's international commission on food standards, today by demonstrating US opposition is to health and consumer protection. This move, in the context of Codex Alimentarius' first pro-health initiative, simultaneously removed optimal health as a Codex goal and sought to protect advertisement of junk food to children. The World Health Organization explicitly opposes advertising which preys on children at the expense of their present and future health.

Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) May 4, 2006 -- The FDA's Barbara Schneeman, PhD, US delegate to the 31st meeting of the CCFL, contined theUS opposition to optimal health and nutrition despite strong support for world health by the World Health Organization (WHO) and most member nations at the annual meeting of Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL, 5/1/06).

Mothers Given Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation Give Birth To ...

When mothers are given multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMN,) they tend to give birth to children who are bigger and heavier. This is contrast to mothers given just iron and folic acid supplementation (IFA). The effect continues into the first three years of the children's lives, according to an article in the February 8 issue of The Lancet, which follows up the Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition.

While it is already known that low birthweight affects child morbidity and survival rates in developing countries, it is not always clear what effect interventions to increase birthweight can have on child health. Dr David Osrin, UCL Centre for International Health and Development, Institute of Child Health, London, UK and colleagues from Mother and Infant Research Activities, Kathmandu, Nepal, has previously investigated this issue through a randomized controlled trial in Nepal comparing 1,200 women given either IFA (a control) or MMN, a supplement with the recommended daily value of 15 vitamins and minerals, during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Schools remind parents of reduced-cost meals

Collier County's public school district is reminding parents and guardians that reduced-price breakfasts and lunches are available at each public school.