Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.
Indeed, the risk factors for childhood obesity read like a checklist of ailments that only a generation ago would never have been linked to children and diet: heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and of course, social ridicule and alienation [i]. This latter consequence of childhood obesity -- ridicule and alienation -- has the dual effect of damaging a child both physically and emotionally far beyond childhood, and possibly for the rest of his or her natural life.
For years, medical experts have called for a multi-faceted strategy to address this epidemic. It has been clear that any long-term solution must be fought on four major fronts: physical activity, sedentary behavior, socioeconomic status, and eating habits [ii].
Yet there is room for another pillar; or, at the very least, the identification of another component that must be a part of any lasting solution. This fifth pillar, or undiscovered component, is smart nutritional supplements.
Many obese children have been told repeatedly by well-intentioned dieticians that eating smart is the key to overcoming this scarring condition. This is easier said than done; especially when emotional eating or an unobserved food addiction [1] may fuel adverse eating habits.
Yet being told to "eat smart" is oftentimes not enough. Children must be provided with foods that are nutritionally sound, and foods that they actually enjoy eating. It is this latter criterion that most well-intentioned experts and caregivers overlook. This is explained below.
Most obese children are neither unable to learn, nor willfully disobedient. Some of these children even have remarkable support from their well-adjusted families who dutifully remove the usual suspects of chips, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and other damaging foods from the home. Yet many of these same children continue to gain weight and march ever closer to the litany of health defects noted above.
These children are not sadistic, and they are not attempting to kill themselves through eating; though some do because of the stigma associated with their condition. Indeed, many obese children are cognitively aware of the danger to which they are subjecting their bodies. Yet they continue to snack away in secret, or binge on foods when they get the chance, thereby undoing whatever minor gains might have been achieved in the previous few days or weeks.
The problem is one of food selection. Generally speaking, children of all weights and shapes will not eat something that they do not like. For obese children who have typically had unfettered access to highly stimulating foods such as gravies and sugar-loaded soft drinks, the willpower to eat unpalatable foods is undeveloped. Indeed, the dietician may snack away on carrots and celery while talking to an obese child about the importance of eating smart. For the obese child, carrots and celery are foreign foods for which there is no known preference.
This fifth pillar, or new component, is therefore one that provides obese children with nutritional supplements that they will eat. As stunningly obvious ? even axiomatic ? as this seems, it has been lost on many experts until recently.
Thankfully, as noted above, there is a solution emerging. It is one that meets this demand for tasty, healthy foods. Forward-thinking companies that understand their consumers are creating low-calorie, highly nutritious foods fortified with life-sustaining vitamins and protein. More importantly: they are tasty, and are often packaged in colorful containers that are "teen-friendly". Companies including MetRx?, Experimental and Applied Sciences?, Protica Research?, and others develop products that fit well within these requirements. Granted, a healthy diet does not start or end with nutritional supplements. A healthy diet employs nutritional supplements to complement and fortify real foods.
Indeed, children and families affected by the obesity epidemic in America are cautiously optimistic at this point; after all, they have been promised solutions in the past. However, thanks to the next generation of nutritional supplements, there is an expectation that this optimism will steadily grow with every success story, and every child that recovers from the potentially devastating impact of obesity.
ABOUT PROTICA
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com
You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "The Problem of Overweight in Children and Adolescents". The US Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
[ii] Source: "Childhood Obesity". American Obesity Association. http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/causes.shtml
Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com
top rated cleaning service Lake Forest ..East Meets WestAsian cultures have realized the medical benefits of... Read More
Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed... Read More
Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always... Read More
Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More
Today, more than ever, consumers over the age of 50... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More
People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe... Read More
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More
Here's something you probably don't know. The fruit and vegetables... Read More
If you are like most people, you've tried dieting before.... Read More
The topic of nutrition is one that is always present... Read More
Although many realize that the liver has its own cleansing... Read More
The acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry has been around for thousands of... Read More
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.... Read More
"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my... Read More
What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
Understanding What a Low Cholesterol Diet isBasically, in order to... Read More
Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More
I'll preface this article by saying that it will help... Read More
So what's all the shake up about anyway?. To put... Read More
It is a question we must ask ourselves continually if... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
The debate regarding Fluoride continues to rage, is it good... Read More
insured cleaning company Morton Grove ..Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More
According to the National Institute of Health, Magnesium is needed... Read More
1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More
Dr. Christine Wood, M.D, a practicing pediatrician in Encinitas, California,... Read More
We sometimes hear about ways that we can take care... Read More
We all need fat in our diet on a daily... Read More
In today's world, there's a definite need to be proactive... Read More
These are questions we have to ask ourselves? because after... Read More
At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More
It is believed that cane sugar was discovered before the... Read More
Summer brings a lot of fantastic things with it, but... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has... Read More
During a recent discussion with my father about low carb... Read More
Protein must be a part of a healthy diet for... Read More
Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More
On average 30% of foods in our daily diet are... Read More
If you are like most people, you don't enjoy the... Read More
As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and... Read More
Food addiction isn't a problem. Pretending like you can't live... Read More
Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More
You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More
For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More
Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative... Read More
Obesity is epidemic in this country for both children and... Read More
Nutrition |