| Many parents struggle to know which foods are | | | | Statistics such as these are a stark reminder of the |
| healthy for their children. When they are able to opt for | | | | importance of maintaining a healthy weight level. |
| healthy choices, about two-thirds struggle to get their | | | | Children must be given every opportunity to have a |
| children to eat healthily, a poll of nearly 800 parents | | | | healthy body. In order to get their family on track to a |
| found. Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP), which | | | | healthy lifestyle parents need to learn how to feed |
| commissioned the survey, said that parents need more | | | | themselves and their family good nutrition. |
| support to tackle the growing problem of childhood | | | | A simple way to improve nutrition is to add raw fruit |
| obesity. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past 20 | | | | and vegetables to family diets. These are foods that |
| years, official figures show. | | | | have no preservatives or added color. They provide |
| Recent studies suggest that parents do not know | | | | plenty of vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, fiber, water and |
| what good nutrition is. Perhaps advertising of fast | | | | trace elements. (All necessary for good nutrition.) They |
| foods, and busy life styles has contributed to this. | | | | look appetizing and have high water content. They |
| Nutritional meals can be prepared quickly and simply at | | | | have a firm texture which means we need to chew |
| home. | | | | them well. This aids the digestive system. The body |
| Of the parents of children aged 15 years and younger | | | | quickly and easily processes them. This means less |
| questioned by the DPP, 45% said they found it difficult | | | | work for the digestive system. |
| to work out which foods were healthy for their | | | | They are natural, that is, not processed and |
| children. When parents did select healthy foods, 65% | | | | pre-packaged with extra chemicals. They are pure |
| said they struggled to motivate their children to eat it. | | | | energy - living foods. Look for different colored |
| Three-quarters of parents blamed advertising and | | | | vegetables and fruits when you shop. Experiment with |
| marketing of unhealthy snacks and drinks for making | | | | ones you have never tasted. Visit a market for more |
| this job so difficult. Another 87% believed that schools | | | | variety and fresher foods. Eat at least one from each |
| should play a big role in teaching children how to be | | | | group every day. |
| healthy. | | | | Red/Purple Group includes tomatoes, watermelon, |
| When more than a thousand children aged seven to | | | | berries, cherries, and grapes |
| 16 were questioned about their lifestyles, 70% said | | | | Orange/Yellow includes carrots, sweet potato, squash, |
| they would be more likely to eat healthily and get | | | | mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges, mandarins |
| active if their parents were doing it. Only 16% said they | | | | pineapples and many stone fruits |
| ate the recommended five portions of fruit and | | | | Yellow/green among this group are avocado, spinach, |
| vegetables per day. This suggests that parents are | | | | beans, peppers, corn, beans, broccoli, green leafy |
| not making healthy food choices themselves. There | | | | vegetables, |
| are strong links between obesity and ill health. The | | | | White/green some in this group asparagus, celery, |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare lists the | | | | garlic, leeks, mushrooms, pears |
| following increased risks of cancers in obese people: | | | | For more information read, "What Color is Your Food" |
| Men Women | | | | by Dr D Heber. |
| Cancer % Increase Risk Cancer %increase Risk | | | | Experiment with adding these to your daily diet. Of |
| Prostate 23 Uterus 178 | | | | course a balanced diet must also include daily servings |
| Leukaemia 43 Kidney 110 | | | | of dairy, whole grains and protein. Start with the simple |
| Bowel 53 Bowel 35 | | | | idea of adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to the |
| Liver 128 Liver 48 | | | | family's daily food intake. This simple step will have |
| Gallbladder 76 Breast 71 | | | | fantastic and long lasting impact on your health. |