Nicole Robb guys her daughter a Subway a Fresh Fit for Kids Meal.
Story Created:
Aug 4, 2008 at 9:35 PM CST
Story Updated:
Aug 5, 2008 at 7:52 AM CST
Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate and now a new report accuses restaurants of making the problem worse. The Center for Science in the public interest completed the first comprehensive study of kids meals at the 13 major restaurant chains and found that 93 percent of them are high in calories.
But not all those meals are created equal. The number parents want to keep in mind is 430 calories, an amount that is one-third of what the Institute of Medicine recommends that children aged four through eight should consume in a day.
Nicole Robb says she tries to limit how much bad food her daughters Ayannah and Aalayha eat, and she says she does it by avoiding hamburger joints.
"Coming to the sub shops versus going there because they have the options of the yogurt and the raisins and the apples," Robb says. "And of course all the vegetables that I can't get them to eat on a normal basis are right there on the sub."
According to the new study that's not a bad strategy, of the 13 major restaurant chains surveyed, Subway ranks on top for healthy kids meals because just 33 percent of their meal combinations top 430 calories. That number jumps to 92 percent at Burger King, hits 93 percent at McDonalds, and at KFC, 100 percent of the kids meals exceed 430 calories.
Since the research was conducted, Burger King has actually improved it's standing by offering some healthier alternatives like fresh apple fries with low fat dipping sauce, and if you add those to a new value menu with macaroni and cheese and 1% milk, it puts it under 430 calories.
Now that more restaurants have at least some healthy options, Denise Nelson, coordinator the Growing Healthy South Dakota Initiative says the responsibility is shifting.
"I think the parents just need to know what the better option is," Nelson says. "And if it's not an option just get the hamburger, don't get the Happy Meal, or say I want the Happy Meal, please don't put in the fries."
Nicole Robb says she'd rather avoid that option.
"Once in a great while we'll be lenient and do that splurge, but I try to stick more healthy," she said.
One thing most experts agree on is that parents should keep their kids away from soda. Parents should also make sure their juice is actually 100 percent juice, otherwise it could contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup.
To Read the full report click here: http://www.cspinet.org/new/200808041.html
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