Pick the Appropriate Fun Activities for Your own Children

Picking the perfect activities for your own children is no simple job. There are lots of items to contemplate with every one of the hustle and bustle of house chores, you are able to readily enable your children to play such a thing they desire. Your 2-year old son may be having fun with Legos, constructing little houses. Or your curly haired daughter may be having fun with stuffed toys that are too large on her behalf.

You need to spend some time to evaluate the needs of your own child, to prevent these occurring. It's a very important move to make to ensure your children are safe. Understand why is your child happy, without compromising their security. While enjoying the show, you are able to take that chance to detect what makes your child joke or what makes them sad. Pay attention to these things for this will allow you to determine what fun activities you will end up sharing together with your children.

Add some humor while describing to your own child the way to produce clay figures. It'll suppress any delight they will have because you will find a few rules. Children don't enjoy a lot of rules.

You may also take to doing the famed "Bring Me" match. Let you both and develop amusing rules appreciate the instant of playing together.

See amusing shows together with your children. You could always expect that Dora will hold their focus and decide a number of these qualities while going out with them, when they do not appreciate the singing and dancing together with the Sesame Street. Should they sing with Dora or dancing with Boots, it is an excellent hint. It indicates your child really wants to lead and is prepared to take some directions from the others, especially somebody older.

Swiper no Swiping!", you are able to say your child loves activities that have interaction using a question and answer part.

There are lots of activities you may do together with your children, however do not be too serious since it'll rob both of you the opportunity to appreciate the organization of each other while exploring each the others' identity.I really like simple cookie recipes. Most people do not have enough time to action all we hope to, so quick and simple recipes, especially at this time of year, make it a bit easier on the cook. That's always a great thing.

This is really a collection of delicious but very easy Xmas cookie recipes that really are a great fit for the festive season. One or more of these treats would definitely be a superb contribution to a Christmas cookie exchange also, in which a group of friends each makes a bulk number

Many people have traditionally thought of convenience store snacks as sugary, fatty, high in salt, and generally unhealthy. In recent years however, many food companies and convenience store chains have been stocking better, healthier alternatives to junk food, Today, the convenience store is just as good a place to stock up on healthy snack options as your health food store or specialty grocer. You can make butter cookies at home which are glutenfree.

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Various Delicious Paleo Chicken Recipe Ideas Spouse and Children Will Adore

Raw Chicken Safety: Dried chicken carries microbes (including salmonella). Bacteria will super quick multiple in climates 40 F to positively 140 F. Keep raw fowl refrigerated or frosty. Refrigeration or freezing chicken does rather than kill bacteria. The only way the bacteria can be taken off is by fully cooking chicken.

Preparation: Large pan medium greater stir tomato sauce, lemon juice together with raw honey. Stir in parsley, rosemary, raw honey, onions, red bell pepper, crushed garlic, sea salt then black pepper diet program

Look, delicious paleo diet recipes are difficult to come by way of so you frequently get stuck with tasteless meals. Difficulty used to drive me crazy! I can't from time to time dish up a reliable Paleo breakfast recipe without having getting the Paleolithic edibles guidelines.

Retain raw chicken isolated. Raw chicken should stay placed in close plastic bag. The bacteria in raw chicken should contaminated with some other foods not. Wash hands meticulously after handling ferocious chicken before taking on other foods combined with objects.

Lectins: Anti-nutrient can trick body's immune approach resulting in proof diseases and immunological intolerances. Products containing lectins perhaps may be grains, wheat, potatoes, rice, dairy and after that legumes (especially soybeans and peanuts).

However, the paleo health food had begun in the previous book was launched following the twenty nineties, when 1 or 2 physicians and experts voted to get yourself a go back for to the diet routine regimen plan to work with visitors. Insurance provider many books and websites setup, delivering unquestionably the favourableness with them diet to the exact population with that can Civilized world, motors atlanta out the your new highest amount using acknowledged for this one when put near to it. Along with diets, before origin to rehearse the following one, the amount of time wise to make room it working having a health physician or one's doctor. That way, it's practical to make good that you are doing the position by currently the body, as calcium, for instance is proven necessary.

But, "hold the phone"! I like better to add a few things to asparagus besides Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. I use a seasoned, or antique rice vinegar outfit and marinade that is a balsamic blend, Kosher Sodium and a home ground pepper on the inside my recipe.

Diet plans who seem to are lopsided in addition built on these consumption of just one food family unit can lead to actually many problems. Powerful independent consultant so that you can MyFitStyle, Jeffrey Thier is a Registered Dietitian in Raleigh, NC. paleo diet .

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Speaking With...: Brian Wansink

This past Friday, Cornell University John Dyson Professor of Consumer Behavior and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Laboratory Dr. Brian Wansink stopped by New York University after being tapped as the second featured speaker of a new lecture series on nutrition and chronic disease.

Taking off from his bestseller Mindless Eating, his talk was appropriately titled, "How To Turn Mindless Eating Into Healthy Eating."

With those prevously mentioned credentials, you might picture a stiff, "all business" type who solves complex equations in his head while half-listening to you.

Dr. Wansink, however, is reminiscent of the cool high school math teacher who wanted you to learn -- and have fun while doing so. His research explanations are peppered with personal anecdotes, comedy, and facial expressions that sometimes rival those of Jim Carrey.

A few hours before his afternoon presentation, I sat down with Dr. Wansink for a one-on-one interview.

If you are unfamiliar with Dr. Wansink's work, please click here to familiarize yourself with his research before reading the interview.

I get such a kick out of all your publicity shots for Mindless Eating [NOTE: see accompanying picture]. They're great! Have they all been photographers' ideas?

Ha! Thanks. Yeah, I've had some really creative photographers who set up these elaborate shoots. Some of those popcorn shots literally took twelve hours, from setup to cleanup. There was a LOT of popcorn all over the floor at the end that had to be cleaned up (laughs).

So, I recently read that all of this research started as a result of you wanting people in the United States to eat more vegetables.

That's right.

How did you go from that to your current line of research?

Yeah, before I started my dissertation [in the late 80s], I wanted to know: "why do you finish your vegetables sometimes and other times you leave them on your plate?". "Why are you hungry for them one night and not the next?" That then evolved into the idea of environmental factors that affect our overall eating patterns. It's a lot more complex than people think because so many of our eating behaviors are automatic. This is all about getting below that surface. One of my first research studies had to do with family serving behavior. We had people come in, eat, and then answer questions about what they ate.

Then, we showed them video footage of their meal. It is amazing how many people flat out deny, or are not aware of, their eating behavior. You'll say to someone, "you had three servings of peas." They'll tell you, "No, I only had one!" You feel like saying, "Well, unless you have an evil twin..."

It's not until you show them the videotape that they change their mind. I once had a woman cry when she saw herself eating on camera! My research considers three angles. Not only what people are eating and how much of it, but also with what frequency.

How did all that research turn into Mindless Eating?

In 2004, I was in France and thought to myself, "I'd like to write a book, but I don't know if I want it to be academic or pop."

That year, Bonnie Liebman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest interviewed me for their Nutrition Action newsletter, and suddenly a lot of requests for book deal started coming in. Most of them were e-mails and, I don't know, nothing really stood out. Then I got a letter -- an actual letter! -- from Bantam Dell Books. One of the things I liked about them is that, as they told me, they are in the business of creating "real books that people read."

Interesting you say that, because I think that's definitely one of the factors behind the popularity of Mindless Eating. It is relatable for and interesting to the average consumer.

So at this point, it's been a few years since the book came out. I was wondering about recent developments. For example, have you conducted any research on the effects of calorie postings in fast food restaurants?

Oh yeah, I was involved in a VERY well-done study with Carnegie Mellon in regards to calorie labeling. We looked at McDonald's, Subway, and Starbucks in terms of what consumers were buying before and after calories went up. And, you know what? The results were indeterminant. They were all over the board. Some people consumed fewer calories, others didn't. I would actually be suspicious of anyone who told you they have seen a dramatic effect as a result of calorie labeling.

That strikes me as really odd. What are your theories regarding the results of that study?

There's a few things to consider. First of all, when it comes to weight loss, a lot of people think: Yeah, I wouldn't mind losing ten pounds, but I don't want to change a thing." Then there's reactance, which is a psychological term. It's basically resistance. Reactance is at play when you're in your car and the person behind you honks so you pull away more slowly than you would otherwise.

(Laughs) Or when you know someone at a restaurant is waiting for your table, so you sit there and take a little longer.

Yeah. So I think, in a way, some people are seeing these calories and thinking, "Oh yeah? Well, you're not going to tell ME what to eat!" Something similar happened in a study I did with Cornell. So, Cornell has a huge dining hall that services about 1100 people at one time. I wanted to see what effect going tray-less would have. I thought it would have two positive effects -- it would result in reduced waste and reduced calories.

The idea being that people couldn't pile everything on at once but instead had to get up from their table each time they wanted more food?

Yeah, exactly. Well, the results came in, and that night there was roughly 30 percent MORE plate waste! I think it comes back to that idea of reactance, where people saw this and thought, "Fine, I won't use a tray, but I'm not going to eat less." But that's not to say that I think calorie labeling isn't useful. Let me tell you something. The other day I went to Sbarro and saw that the slice of pizza I wanted was 787 calories. Aaaaaaaah!! So I think these calorie postings are going to serve as incentives for these food companies to say, "Alright, wait a minute, I want to turn that 787 into 690." I think it's going to nudge companies to drop the numbers, and that's what will, in turn, affect consumers.

Speaking of consumers, you recently finished your one-year post with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion working on the Dietary Gudelines. How did that go?

Oh, it was great! I thought I was on a mission from God! My last day was January 20, when the new president took office. I was literally sending e-mails at 11:59 PM on January 19. I was still e-mailing at 12:05 AM on January 20, and I remember thinking "Wow, they didn't shut off my inbox!" Then I got up to grab something to eat, and about ten minutes later I came back and I no longer had access.

Any sneak peeks as to possible changes we may expect in the next round of Dietary Guidelines?

I was involved with the selection of the 13 Dietary Guidelines committee members, and 11 of them have a behavioral focus. They operate where the rubber meets the road. That's important, because they take pages upon pages of data and transform it into information for the masses that can be summarized in just a few sentences.

So to wrap up, I'm interested in hearing about research you are in the process of conducting now.

Oh yeah, sure. Well, we're looking at what happens to people's eating behaviors when they sit next to someone who has a much higher BMI than they do. We are also doing a study where we have someone wearing a fat suit and going through one side of a buffet very slowly, serving themselves a lot of food. Everyone on the other side of the salad bar takes a much lower amount of food compared to when that person is going through the salad bar without the fat suit on. It's the whole concept of mimicking the attractive person. It's terrible, because weight is the last acceptable prejudice in our society and it can really be crippling to a person's self-esteem.

Lately, the concept of "nature vs. nurture" has become central to the issue of childhood obesity. Do you have any thoughts on that from a behavioral standpoint?

Well, we conducted a study with 4 year olds. We gave all the kids a questionnaire to take home. The point of the questionnaire was to determine to what extent parents forced their kids to eat everything that was on their plate. Of course, we disguised those questions among lots of filler like "what is your favorite TV show?"

"What color are your curtains?", etc.

(Laughs) Exactly. So the parents, on a scale of one to nine, had to rate just how heavily they enforced "the clean plate club" at home. So, you know, nine was "my kids HAVE to finish everything on their plate or there is some kind of consequence" and one was "Ah, if they eat, they eat. If they don't, they don't." We discovered that the children whose parents insisted they finish everything on their plate served themselves approximately 40 percent more cereal in our study.

Wow! And based on what you talk about in Mindless Eating... the idea that, once food is in front of us, it is very easy to eat it all, that's a significant finding.

Yeah, the thinking is that children who are forced to clean their plate feel like the have no control when it comes to food, so they find ways to reassert their control and independence.

Well, it looks like we've actually gone over time, but this has been fascinating. It's been a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you!

Oh, absolutely. Thank you and best of luck with everything.

Many thanks to Dr. Wansink for his time!

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Survey Results: Make Room For Spongebob

The latest Small Bites survey asked visitors if they supported the use of popular cartoon characters to advertise fruit and vegetable products like "baby carrots" and frozen spinach to children.

Sixty-three percent of respondents supported that form of advertising, eight percent did not, and the remaining twenty-seven percent did not have a strong opinion either way.

I strongly favor that sort of advertising.

Many nutrition advocates do not, claiming it confuses children to see Spongebob on baby carrots as well as a box of sugary fruit snacks.

My main concern with that argument is that it attempts to view the world through the eyes of a child who has the marketing awareness of an adult.

Six-year-olds are not aware of nutrition. They don't understand the difference in nutrients between a fruit snack and a real fruit. Seeing their favorite cartoon character on different products doesn't confuse them -- it simply draws their eyes and attention to them!

In my opinion, too many nutrition advocates make the crucial mistake of forgetting that they, too, can implement the same tactics used by food companies.

Getting children interested in eating healthier food by simply branding it with cartoon characters is certainly far from utopian, but it's a significant step forward we need to pursue.

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In The News: Kidney Believe It?

This article in The San Francisco Chronicle -- courtesy of the Associated Press -- sheds light on a disturbing trend among children: higher incidences of kidney stones.

"At Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, for example, the number of children treated for kidney stones since 2005 has climbed from about 10 a year to five patients a week now, said Dr. Pasquale Casale."

Although pediatric kidney stones are often attached to inborn metabolic defects, the majority of these new cases involve children who test negative for such disorders.

One very likely culprit? Processed diets (specifically the high levels of sodium they contribute) within the context of low fluid intake.

This demonstrates, as I have been saying for slightly over a year now, that sodium is well on its way to becoming the next "hot button" ingredient (following in the footsteps of trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, whole grains, and Omega-3 fatty acids).

Expect even more companies to offer low-sodium varieties of products -- particularly ones aimed at children.

The sugar lobbyists, I'm sure, are popping a bottle of champagne as I type these words!

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In The News: In The Zone

Today's New York Times reports the conclusion of an eight-year-long study of millions of schoolchildren completed by economists at the University of California and Columbia University: "ninth graders whose schools are within a block of a fast-food outlet are more likely to be obese than students whose schools are a quarter of a mile or more away."

This study is particularly significant since it adjusted for variables like income, education, and race, thereby making it easier to accurately pinpoint the effect of fast food restaurant proximity to weight.

More specifically, "obesity rates were 5 percent higher among the ninth graders whose schools were within one-tenth of a mile of a pizza, burger or other popular fast-food outlet, compared with students attending schools farther away from fast-food stores."

In a not-at-all surprising move, the National Restaurant Association is shrugging this off since "it did not take individual diet and exercise into account." The argument falls rather flat when you consider that the location of these fast food restaurants clearly had an effect on students' diets.

I have long been a supporter of zoning laws regarding fast food restaurants and schools, and this only strengthens my belief.

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Where Do I Begin?

The folks at ConAgra appear to be quite proud of their Kid Cuisine products.

Aimed at elementary school students, these ready-to-eat lunches are -- believe it or not -- advertised as healthy items.

Let's analyze one variety. How about the Dip & Dunk Toasted Ravioli?

The initial descriptive sentence says it all: "This meal features breaded real-cheese ravioli..."

Beside the slightly disturbing fact that we have to be assured this product contains "real" cheese (as opposed to... cheez?), I find the breading of ravioli rather odd -- and unnecessary.

The nutrition label displays 9 grams of fiber (good!) and one tenth of the daily potassium requirement (not bad!), but also a third of a day's worth of sodium (yikes!) and 18 grams -- 4 and a half teaspoons' worth -- of sugar.

Oddly enough, Conagra advertises this product as containing 20 percent of MyPyramid's suggested daily servings of grains. How this is a selling point beats me; no one in this country has any problem getting their recommended servings of that food group!

The ingredient list, not surprisingly, is very long (the cheese ravioli, for instance, contain a garlic puree made with high fructose corn syrup) and includes one of my pet peeves: unnecessary sweetening.

It turns out the side of corn isn't simply corn kernels. Nope, it's corn with water and sugar.

Sugar? Added to corn?

Then there's the "fruit shaped and fruit flavored" snacks. In other words, it looks like a fruit and tastes like a fruit, but it's just sugar.

This product could easily be tweaked to provide similar flavors with a superior nutrition profile. My suggestions:

* Replace the breaded ravioli with baked, 100% whole grain cheese-and-broccoli bites.

* Offer corn kernels in their naturally sweet state.

* Replace the fruit snacks with unpeeled apple slices.

Those three changes could slash the sugar content approximately by half and lower the sodium by roughly 150 milligrams.

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You Ask, I Answer: Sugar in Yogurt

My 3 year old daughter doesn't like milk, so yogurt is one of her sources of calcium.

When I buy yogurt for her, though, I don't know how to determine which brands have too much sugar.

One brand has 24 grams of sugar for 6 ounces. Is that too much?

-- Terri Korolev
San Francisco, CA

Dairy products' food labels take some extra skill to analyze since manufacturers are not asked to differentiate between naturally-occurring sugars and added sugars.

In this case, "naturally-occurring" sugars refers to lactose, the inherent sugar found in all dairy products.

Unlike added sugars' empty calories, naturally-occurring varieties co-exist with nutrients (the same can be said for fructose, which is present in fresh fruits.)

When shopping for yogurts, keep in mind that 6 ounces of yogurt contain 12 grams of naturally-occurring sugars.

This means that the yogurt you refer to contains an additional 12 grams (1 tablespoon) of added sugar.

I am of the school of thought that children and adults should get no more than 10 percent of their total daily calories from added sugars.

In the case of a 3-year old, that means no more than 30 or 35 grams of added sugar a day.

As a healthier alternative, see how she likes eating plain yogurt along with sweet fruits like bananas and pineapples.

You can even make it fun for her by storing fresh banana slices in a Ziploc bag, freezing them, and mixing them in with her yogurt.

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Numbers Game: Answer

92 to 98 percent of peak bone mass (the period by which all bone formation occurs) is achieved by age 20.

High peak bone density is one factor that helps decrease the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life.

This is precisely why having adequate intakes of calcium -- as well as being physically active -- during childhood and adolescence is crucial.

The more "bone healthy" the diet is during childhood and adolescence (particularly by consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin K, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium), the higher peak bone mass levels are.

This is not simply a matter of having your child pop a Flintstones chewable vitamin, though. Whole foods containing these nutrients are far superior sources.

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Oh, Dear...

It is findings such as these that can lead to substantial discouragement when thinking of school nutrition.

Take a look at this week's lunch menus for a handful of Pennsylvania schools.

Although some are better than others (offering carrot sticks and slices of real fruit), the vast majority of these meals are nutritionally pitiful.

Shouldn't parents send their children off to school with the guarantee that they are being fed relatively well?

Part of the issue here is how the National School Lunch Program defines a "balanced" meal.

The basic criteria is to offer a balanced meal by including all food groups.

However, a meal consisting of chicken nuggets, french fries, peaches in canned syrup, and chocolate milk is considered "balanced" -- the breading in the chicken nuggets counts as a serving of grains, the french fries meet the vegetable requirement, and the sugary peaches are accepted as fruit.

UPDATE: Thank you to Small Bites reader Jasmine for forwarding this February 20 New York Times op-ed piece by Chez Panisse chef Alice Waters that touches on this very topic!

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In The News: Opening Up A Can Of... Worms

Did any of you watch 20/20's investigative report on the children of Appalachia two weeks ago?

If not, you can watch it here. Truly eye-opening -- and heartbreaking.

I finally caught up with it last night (thank you, DVR!).

One segment focused on the dental health of children and adolescents in that area; more specifically, the problem of "Mountain Dew mouth."

As a result of extreme soda consumption (Mountain Dew is given to children in sippy cups and considered an ailment for depression), children as young as two years of age are developing cavities.

Some elementary school students have such damaged teeth that the simple act of brushing is painful -- too painful to be accomplished.

In an attempt to help, dentist Edwin Smith spent $150,000 of his savings to turn an 18 wheel truck into a mobile dental clinic.

This segment has set off a firestorm among the nutrition community. All sorts of questions are being asked -- and hotly debated.

Is it accurate to blame soda -- and a specific brand at that -- for cavities?

Or does the lack of dental hygiene awareness and access to dental care set the stage for problems regardless of the types of food eaten?

After all, starchy foods like bread, rice, and crackers are just as likely to increase cavity risk. And many people drink soda and don't get cavities.

What is most interesting is Pepsi's response to this. Make that responses -- three of them!

Here is the first one.

Notice the drastic change in tone in their second statement.

And, finally, here is the short third statement that followed.

As if that wasn't enough, Diane Sawyer gave further updates on Good Morning America last week. The big announcement? PepsiCo. decided to pay for a second mobile clinic.

What role -- if any -- should Pepsi play in this? Is their donation of a second mobile clinic a form of aid or just a publicity stunt for good PR?

What about local and federal government? Should they be involved?

Then we get to the hottest button issue of all. How does this problem begin to get addressed? Education? Policy? Some sort of hybrid?

I'm even more disturbed by the fact that, as a result of mountaintop mining for coal, tap water in much of the Appalachian region is contaminated and undrinkable.

Please weigh in with any opinion(s) you may have.

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A Problematic Solution

Although Kraft's self-created Sensible Solutions sticker (used to denote healthy products) can point consumers in the right direction (like with 100% whole grain Triscuit crackers), it is also used in some questionable manners.

One example? Lunchables Maxed Out Pepperoni Pizza.

This item boasts a "Sensible Solutions" sticker on the basis of being "a good source of protein" and "a good source of calcium."

The latter nutritional claim is valid, but the first one is irrelevant in a country where protein deficiency is practically unheard of.

The average child's lunchbox may be low in fiber and potassium, but with protein being found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, dairy, soy products, meats, and even vegetables, I don't think parents need to start scouting supermarket aisles for high-protein foods.

What truly puzzles me, though, is the presence of a Sensible Solutions sticker on a product that contains 850 milligrams of a sodium (a third of a day's worth), 35 grams of added sugar (thanks to the inclusion of an Airhead candy and a Kool Aid flavor pouch meant to be mixed with the included bottle of water) and a paltry two grams of fiber!

This is the problem with self-defined corporate criteria -- no one is overseeing the rubric to ensure it only pertains to healthier options.

My suggestion? Set up these criteria so that, in order to carry a Sensible Solutions sticker, a product needs to have at least 'x' amount of nutrient "A" while simultaneously limiting nutrient 'B' to 'y' amount.

Otherwise, as I saw for myself at the grocery store yesterday, KoolAid can carry a Sensible Solutions sticker simply because it is fortified with vitamin A and vitamin E!

Right, because nothing says "sensible" like 16 grams (4 teaspoons) of added sugar per 8-ounce serving.

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You Ask, I Answer: Carbohydrate Needs

In Eat This, Not That For Kids, there is a table titled "What Our Kids Need Each Day" that shows what amount of different nutrients children should be getting on a daily basis.

For carbohydrate, every age group (from 1 to 18 years) has the same carbohydrate requirement: 130 grams.

That seem fishy to me?

-- Taryn (last name withheld)
Houston, TX

Uh oh. That figure is ripe for misinterpretation.

It would be much more accurate to express it as "at least 130 grams."

Without those two important words, I can imagine many people thinking they are not supposed to feed their child more than that amount of carbohydrates each day.

The 130 gram figure is important because it is the minimum amount of carbohydrate needed each day to spare body proteins.

This means that by consuming 130 grams of carbohydrates (520 calories' worth), you are ensuring that protein is used for building and maintaining muscle tissue, rather than for energy.

That figure is also calculated to be the amount necessary to support the production of red blood cells as well as keep the central nervous system working as efficiently as possible.

A much better recommendation is to get anywhere from 45 to 60 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates.

Readers, here is an example to help you figure out how many grams of carbohydrate you should be aiming for each day:

Let's assume you need 2,200 calories a day.

Some simple multiplication lets us know that a range of 45 to 60 percent of that figure is equal to 990 - 1,320 calories.

To figure out how many grams of carbohydrates those calorie values equal, divide them by 4 (remember, there are 4 calories in each gram of carbohydrate.)

Therefore, someone consuming 2,200 calories a day should take in anywhere from 247 to 330 grams of carbohydrates a day.

PS: Taryn just completed her Dietetic Internship at the University of Houston. If you are interested in learning what future dietitians learn in their DIs, please visit her blog!

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In The News: Get In Shape! Yes, Sir!

Here's one example of childhood and adolescent obesity having consequences one might not initially think of: "the Army has been dismissing so many overweight applicants that its top recruiter, trying to keep troop numbers up in wartime, is considering starting a program to transform chubby trainees into svelte soldier,"reports The Washington Post.

Obesity tops the list of reasons preventing applicants from entering the military -- more so than "a lack of a GED or high school diploma, misconduct or criminal behavior, and other health issues such as eye or ear problems."

Recruiters estimate that 30 percent of all applicants are considered, pardon the pun, "unfit" as a result of their overweight or obese status.

And it's not just the military feeling this crunch -- firefighting department across the country are finding themselves with an increasingly larger number of young, overweight applicants unable to pass the necessary fitness tests.

And so come to the usual question: how do we remedy this situation?

We know that obesity is a multi-layered issue that calls, among other things, targeted public policy, education, and access to healthy foods.

In the meantime, how about mandatory physical education through twelfth grade?

The "stay active" part of the formula appears to be missing in too many places.

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Speaking With...: Ian Smith

Most of you know him simply as "Doctor Ian," nutrition expert on Vh1's Celebrity Fit Club, creator of the 50 Million Pound Challenge, host of the nationally syndicated radio show HealthWatch on American Urban Radio Networks, and author of #1 New York Times Bestsellers like The Fat Smash Diet.

Yesterday, Dr. Smith -- a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine -- launched his latest work, The 4 Day Diet, which is composed of a variety of 4-day modules.

My e-mail interview with him, transcribed below, covers the new book (I received an advance copy last month in preparation for our correspondence) as well as other current issues of interest in the fields of nutrition and public health.

The concept of motivation plays a significant role in this book. What motivated you to pen The 4 Day Diet?

So many people who I've worked with over the years have always talked about a lack of motivation or the inability to stay motivated. They wanted to know how to figure out a solution to this deficit.

I looked at all of the best diet books and none of them really gave the topic of motivation any real coverage. I know as a fact that the mental part of dieting is the most critical, because if your mind isn't in the right place, then regardless of how good the plan might be, you're not going to succeed.

The 4 Day Diet is my rendition of a COMPLETE program. There's the mental plan, diet plan, and exercise plan. The people who I worked with while creating this program not only lost a lot of weight, they lost it consistently and they constantly told me how "doable" the program was compared to others they had followed.

I also wrote the 4 Day Diet so that if parents want to put the entire family on a program, this could be that program. Most diet plans are not kid-friendly, but the 4 Day Diet is one that everyone can enjoy and see results.

The psychological and emotional factors behind weight loss are thoroughly explored in The 4 Day Diet. Do you recommend that, if financially possible, people simultaneously seek psychological counseling before/while trying to achieve significant weight loss?

In the best of worlds, people who need to lose a serious amount of weight or who have some psychological component to their cause(s) for being overweight would seek some type of psychological consultation. It's not because they're crazy or not smart. It's because sometimes we have anxiety or stress-related problems and don't even know it, and a professional might help tease these problems out.

I know that everyone can't afford to go to a psychiatrist/psychologist or doesn't want to go, so that's why I've included this material in the 4 Day Diet.

A lot of people will learn more about the cause of their problems and the strategies they can employ to solve them as they go on and lose the weight while regaining their health.

On a similar note, do you think periods of high stress are not a good time to begin implementing dietary changes?

One of the worst times to start a diet program is during a period of high stress. I tell people all the time, if you have some type of major life disruption such as relationship problems, job problems, financial crisis, loss of a loved one, medical crisis--these are not the times to undertake a diet program.

Unfortunately, too many people start a program simply because they believe it's the right time on the calendar to do so and they don't make sure it's the right time in their life. Success is more attainable if one begins this journey at the most appropriate time.

That being said, one must also guard against coming up with every excuse in the book as to why they shouldn't lose weight. Major stress-inducing situations are the only things that should stand in the way, not the small stuff.

Are you at all concerned the "Be Thinner by Friday!" label on the cover of the book can set up unrealistic expectations in readers or make this look like a gimmick?

There is that risk and to be honest I wrestled with the idea of putting it on the cover. I had those exact concerns, but the publishing team felt as though given my history of creating medically sound programs and being honest with people, that they would not interpret it as a gimmick.

The truth of the matter is that with the 4 day detox that's at the beginning of the program, people will lose weight right away. Will they lose all of their weight? NO WAY! That's not what I'm saying. They will lose weight and they will think differently.

One of the chapters talks about "thinking thin." That is as important as the physical part of looking thin. So, people will be thinner by Friday not just physically but mentally, and they will be on the road to significant changes if they stick to the plan.

Is there a particular reason why the modules [in the diet plan] only allow one teaspoon of milk (even skim or low fat) in coffee?

Great question. The honest answer is that people tend to go overboard. If the limit is 1 teaspoon, then most people are going to have 2. If I said 2 teaspoons were allowed, then they would rationalize having 3. Sometimes you can't win.

The major point with this is that you must try to cut calories wherever possible, even a small amount. If you get into the behavior of cutting calories with drinking coffee, then you're also likely to do the same when there are bigger calories at stake such as eating an entree or dessert.

It's all about learning how to make lifestyle changes that will lead to permanent good health.

What is your approach to people who "excuse themselves" from ever attempting to lose weight by saying "it's just how they are built" because they come from "large families"?

This is one of the most frustrating excuses I hear when people talk about reasons they don't try or can't lose weight. The truth of the matter is that unless one has a genetic medical condition that has been inherited from their family, there really is no such thing as "coming from a large family, therefore it's inevitable that they are large."

Can you come from a tall family? Yes. But that's genetic. Weight is rarely genetic. Families tend to be large because the choices they make from a dietary and exercise perspective make them large. There are no genetic plans that say everyone in a family is going to be 50 pounds overweight.

But if there's a medical condition that's inherited, then that's a different story. The truth is that you have a better chance of winning the lottery than truly being large "because your family is large."

Only 40 percent of medical schools in the United States offer a nutrition course. Of that 40 percent, very few actually require it as part of their curriculum. What are your thoughts on the apparent dismissal of nutrition that appears to be prevalent in the medical field (i.e.: "to lower blood pressure, take this pill, rather than be mindful of sodium and potassium intake.")

I think the lack of nutritional education is medical schools is a tremendous oversight and we are now seeing the manifestation of it with the obesity crisis we're now facing. More doctors and nurses need to know a lot more about nutrition and supplements and non-medicinal ways to control weight.

Obesity is a medical epidemic just like the plague was an epidemic. The front line fighters against this epidemic should be the doctors and nurses and other healthcare professionals. But there's not enough nutritional and related training, thus they are not effective at fighting on the front lines.

Are doctors entirely to blame for the obesity crisis? Absolutely not. Do doctors share some of the blame? Absolutely. I hope in the coming years that medical schools will see the need to take nutrition as serious as they take pharmacology and physiology and help train a new generation of obesity fighters.

Mandatory calorie labeling has proven to be a successful policy in New York City. What are some other public health nutrition policies you would like to see implemented in the coming years to help people achieve their health goals?

I think NYC has gotten off to a good start and I hope it proves successful and others will follow this lead. There are lots of health nutrition policies that should be implemented over the coming years to help cut into our obesity problem.

I think that schools across the country are getting an F grade when it comes to providing healthy food for our children. This is an embarrassment for the US, a country so rich and so full of resources and intellectual capital. Our children need to be served healthier food and mandated to participate in regular physical activity. At a time when we need children to be more active, we're dramatically cutting funding to programs and classes that would help our children get moving and lose some of this weight that will only harm them in their adult years.

I also believe that the government needs to be more instrumental in helping lower-income areas attract healthier grocery stores. Too many neighborhoods have nowhere to shop but stores that sell unhealthy, calorie-rich, sweet, processed foods and not enough natural, fresh food.

Yes, the communities must first want and then work to get these stores in their communities, but the government at some level should step in and play some role in incentivizing businesses to set up shop in these very needy communities. Remember, the healthier our fellow citizens, the healthier we all are!

Many thanks to Dr. Smith for taking time to participate in Small Bites' "Speaking With" section!

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You Ask, I Answer: PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome, Milk

I have a condition known as PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome, which results in my hormones being all out of whack.

I'm befuddled as to which would further alter my hormone levels more (and which hormones that would be): cow's milk or soy milk?

I have read that bodybuilders [try to avoid] soy-based protein powders because they increase estrogen [levels], but I have also read reports that the hormones in cow's milk can cause girls to [begin] puberty at a younger age.

Would drinking organic milk be the solution?

-- Rachael (last name unknown)
(city unknown), NJ

Let's first begin by touching upon some nutrition-related specifics regarding PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome (POS).

The hormones found at high levels in affected individuals are a group of male hormones known as androgens.

One interesting theory that has emerged about risk factors for POS (other than being overweight or obese) surrounds the body's inability to use up insulin efficiently.

Since high levels of free-floating insulin building up in the blood can increase the amount of androgens produced, it is believed this could be a factor behind the development of this syndrome.

This is also why POS in itself is a risk factor for Type-2 diabetes.

From a nutritional standpoint, the best recommendation is to lose excess weight, as this often results in more efficient use of insulin by the body and, consequently, lower production of androgens.

The catch-22 is that, for many individuals, it is precisely this hormonal imbalance that can add a degree of difficulty to achieving weight loss.

Consequently, I highly recommend that you speak to a Registered Dietitian (as opposed to picking out a diet plan from a book or magazine, even if it is from a highly reputable source.)

With POS, you need a customized plan based on your individual situation.

It really doesn't make a difference to your condition whether you include dairy or soy milk in your diet, as neither of these have a particular effect on androgen levels.

As for the link between hormones in milk and early puberty -- I don't buy it.

After all, milk consumption has been on a steady decline over the past two decades. It's children's intake of soda -- not milk -- that has skyrocketed since the 1980s!

A much more realistic explanation for the recent trend of earlier puberty initiation? Increasing obesity rates among children.

Highly respected endocrinology journals have published a handful of studies over the past few years -- such as this one -- making interesting physiological connections between high BMI levels and earlier sexual maturation in girls.

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In The News: Milk Madness

The Chicago Tribune is profiling the battle over milk that has ignited in several of the Windy City's school districts.

On the one hand, you have administrators and parents supporting the inclusion of milk in school cafeterias, "amid concerns that dairy consumption is waning among older children who have more beverage choices, from flavored water to energy drinks. Nine of every 10 preteen girls fall short of the federally recommended three calcium servings a day... for boys, the estimate is 7 of 10."

Then there are those concerned with flavored non-skim milks contributing to childhood obesity. Huh??

"A half-pint of low-fat chocolate milk has 3 teaspoons of added sugar... [and] those extra 75 calories raise a concern, given that surveys compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that 17 percent of school-age children are obese."

Whoever is concerned about those additional 75 calories seriously needs to reevaluate their priorities.

Childhood obesity is not caused by opting for low-fat chocolate milk over non-flavored skim milk at lunchtime.

All you need to do is look at the numbers. As childhood obesity rates have skyrocketed, milk consumption has decreased.

What has increased? Soda consumption -- overwhelmingly so!

It is those beverages, plus chips, breakfast toaster pastries, and supersize fast food portions -- staples of so many American teenagers' diets -- that should truly be "of concern."

It's also rather laughable to think that some schools are concerned with milk but apparently don't take issue with their almost daily offerings of meatloaf, chicken nuggets, and fruit canned in heavy syrup.

A glass of low-fat chocolate milk with a healthy lunch is harmless. This apparent phobia of 1% (reduced-fat) milk is beyond my comprehension.

We are talking about 2.5 grams of total fat, of which 1.5 gram are saturated, per cup. Perfectly reasonable numbers, as far as I'm concerned.

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Numbers Game: Answer

A 24-ounce limited edition Jack in the Box eggnog shake contains 1,450 calories, 225 percent of the daily saturated fat recommended limit, and 3 grams of trans fat.

(NOTE: Trans fat recommendations are set at 0 grams per day.)

If this "special edition" shake is available after December 31, they should change its name to "The Resolution Breaker."

To put it in perspective, this beverage has more calories than an entire 12-inch Domino's cheese pizza (with regular -- not thin -- crust)!

And if you thought the 3 grams of trans fat were bad, check out some of the other options on Jack in the Box's menu.

A 10-piece order of mini churros delivers a jaw-dropping (and heart-stopping?) SEVEN grams of trans fat!

An order of French Fries from the children's menu may seem innocent with its 220 calories, but it also delivers 3.5 grams of trans fat.

So, dear president-elect Obama, how about igniting heart-healthy change with a national trans fat ban?

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Numbers Game: Answer

According to the latest Federal Trade Commission figures, food and beverage companies spent a total of $ 492 million in 2006 to advertise soda to children between the ages of 2 and 17.

That is a higher advertising budget than Apple Computers'!

Candy and gum advertising in 2006, you ask? Oh, in the $500 - $550 million range.

Meanwhile, the Five A Day campaign, which promoted eating five servings of vegetables on a daily basis, spent slightly less than $10 million in advertising the year before.

We are all susceptible to marketing, especially children. If something looks "cool," they will want it.

Yes, that even applies to healthy foods. Remember the Dancing Raisins from the 1980s?

I sure do -- it seemed every commercial break from Captain Planet had those raisins in it! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I have provided an image with this post.

The clay-animated spots clearly worked. The California Raisin Board credits that campaign for increasing raisin sales by ten percent.

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Numbers Game: Drinking Money

According to the latest Federal Trade Commission figures, food and beverage companies spent a total of $ ______ million in 2006 advertising soda to children between the ages of 2 and 17.

a) 298
b) 492
c) 364
d) 601

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Monday for the answer.

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