Friday, January 26, 2018

Is The Connection of School Lunches And Obesity Real?

Asking such a question can seem lame, duh! However I want you to go on this brief journey of inquiry with me. What is the real connection between school lunches and Obesity?

P as in the word plump, L as in the word large, C as in the word chubby, F as in the word flabby. School meals have steadily gotten somewhat better so why is the percent of child obesity not? Obesity doesn't just happen overnight, although neither has fixed snacking habits, or choosing to pick a healthier option or lifestyle either.


If you're ever worried that your child needs to slim down, talk to your health care provider. A wonderful health care provider is Dr. Michael Nwaneri, MD at https://omegapediatrics.com/   Someone in the medical practice can help you come up with a safe plan to shed those few extra pounds off your child. Also, some expert advice may help you know what to focus on to help your child reach a healthy weight, no matter their age.




Lesson From The Lunchroom


Most children don't change their lifestyle overnight. School lunches have a massive impact on their food schedule and it's how they start their eating habits into adulthood.

Healthy school lunches can be a key factor in breaking this cycle by improving kids’ diets. Children consume about half of their daily calories at school; for low-income children, school lunch may be their only real meal of the day.

For decades, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has administered school meal programs that provide funding to support free and reduced-price meals for students who meet the income criteria. So while these children are under this criteria the meals offered under must meet some kind of nutritional standards.

In recent decades, subsidized school meals had tilted toward processed foods high in fat, sugar, and sodium. In response to these trends, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010, which required the USDA to update its standards for school meals to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.



Danelle Fisher, MD, chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA says. "Kids need to know that every food they put into their bodies affects them."





When We Look At The Numbers, Obesity is Winning



All this leads up to the fact that child obesity is one of the largest health concerns in the United States and of parents.

The percentage of children with obesity in the United States have more than tripled since the 1970s. Today, about one in five school-aged children (ages 6–19) has obesity.
Obesity is defined as having excess body fat, while overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Body mass index, or BMI, is a widely used screening tool for measuring both overweight and obesity. BMI percentile is preferred for measuring children and young adults (ages 2–20) because it takes into account that they are still growing, and growing at different rates depending on their age and sex.

Health professionals use growth charts to see whether a child’s weight falls into a healthy range for the child’s height, age, and gender. Children with a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and less than the 95th percentile are considered overweight.Children at or above the 95th percentile have obesity.
Some data show that children with obesity miss more days of school compared to students with normal weights. Missed days of school, whether due to illness or to avoid weight-based bullying, can make it hard to keep up in school.

Many experts believe schools are a key setting for efforts to prevent childhood obesity. Looking across multiple studies, teams of scientists have found that a comprehensive school-based approach is effective at preventing obesity.

This kind of approach supports school nutrition and physical activity environments and makes connections beyond the school day by involving parents and caregivers, as well as other community members. These kinds of changes in the school environment can support the health and well-being of all students.  







It's All About The Tools

"Kids are the future. Yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s also the truth. These leaders recognize the importance of equipping the next generation with the tools they’ll need to navigate important health decisions and empowering them with the knowledge to live healthy lives now and into adulthood." 





It's All About The Environment.

Schools play a critical role in improving the diet and physical activity of children and teens. Schools can create environments that support healthy eating and physical activity by implementing policies and practices those policies. Providing students with learning opportunities that support healthy eating and regular physical activity is so important for students to learn about and how to  practice these behaviors. 

CDC tested and got results for the best practices to promote healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines. These guidelines were informed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and the Healthy People 2020 objectives related to healthy eating and physical activity among children, teens, and schools. The guidelines serve as a base for developing, implementing, and evaluating school-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices for students.










Could It Be So Simple?


Encouraging children to drink water with their school lunches could prevent more than half a million youths in the U.S. from becoming overweight or obese. With this project in effect it could bring down the medical costs associated with being overweight or obese  by more than $13 billion.

When people increase their plain-water intake their nutrition profile doesn't change drastically. We do see, however, a significant drop in their saturated fat and sugar intake. The problems that would arise from drinking less whole milk is marginal, and minor in comparison with the costs associated with the  rates of childhood overweight and obesity in the United States. 




Yes, There Are Long Term Effects.

Childhood obesity has long-term impacts on physical, social, and emotional health.
Children with obesity are at higher risk for having other chronic health conditions and diseases that impact physical health, such as asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and risk factors for heart disease.

Children with obesity are bullied more than their normal weight peers,are more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem, and tend to have lower grade in result of this.
Childhood obesity is also associated with having obesity as an adult, which is linked to serious conditions and diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and several types of cancer.










What Do YOU Think Can Be Done To Help The Food Situation In Schools? 

Although school lunch is not the only factor in what makes the younger generation of children unhealthy it Does play a huge role. The fact is if we don't change the circumstances we are putting our children in then there will be NO improvement, we can't expect children to change their lifestyle, AND change the circumstances to do such a thing. So, Yes there is a connection, and we as a country need to change that.


        Comment Down Below!!!





10 Ways Breastfeeding Can Go Wrong And How To Fix Them

         Being a parent is hard no matter the circumstances, and sometimes we as parents do things for your child. Jeanne Speacer Web MD wrote an overview over the basics of breastfeeding.

   Breastfeeding is usually the best way to feed an infant because it helps protect the mother and infant from a variety of health problems. Even so, many women who start out breastfeeding stop before the minimum 6 month mark. Many women stop because common problems interfere with their ability to breastfeed. However, with some guidance and knowledge, most women can overcome these obstacles. Many problems breastfeeding can be asked at your local pediatrician's office.
Be Sure To Check Out https://omegapediatrics.com/ for great, culturally sensitive care.

                         


                Problems


1.Worried About Overproduction? A small percent of mothers produce too much milk, but don't fret it's common, and NORMAL among women who are first time mothers.

   



2. Feeling Under The Weather? Many mothers equally want to know if they can pass whatever bug they caught to their babies. Don't worry very few viruses can be passed along to your baby via breastfeeding, because of all the antibodies that are produced naturally in your breast milk.


3.Tired Of Sore Nipples? Pain is never overlooked when breastfeeding normally, because most mothers want to be comfortable understandably when breastfeeding.



4.Sore Nipples Not The Cause Of Your Pain? If you have been doing any of the following wearing tight clothing, wearing an ill fitting bra, or now know you have a poor feeding technique the pain you are feeling could very well be a plugged milk duct.



5.Can't Easily Extract Your Milk? Many babies are difficult to keep awake in the first week after their birth. This can cause the baby from getting enough to eat regularly and cause an abnormal schedule you as a parent are trying to set.




 6.Have Allergies? Well babies do too, and what you eat can make your baby react in harmful ways.




7.Taking Any Medications? As many medicines have not been tested on women who are breastfeeding, many doctors are unaware how it will affect your baby.



8. Are You Drinking Enough Fluids?-Your lifestyle can untimely have an effect on your breast milk.





9. Worried About Your Coffee In The Morning? A woman's lifestyle, including diet and other behaviors, can have an effect on her breast milk.



10. Do You Feel Like Everyone Is Watching You? The lack of support some mothers feel while trying to breastfeed is monumental. Having such controversy over public breastfeeding while any mother is just trying to feed her child is stressful. Not only due mothers deal with side eyes publicly they also have to deal with scrutiny online












                                   Solutions!!

1) Here are some things you can do to deal with milk oversupply:

⦁ Nurse in an upright position – Hold your baby upright to nurse and lean back or lie on your side.

⦁ Use your fingers to reduce the flow of milk – Try putting a scissors-hold on your areola or pressing on your breast with the heel of your hand to restrict flow.

⦁ Give baby control – Let your baby interrupt feedings, and burp him or her often.

⦁ Avoid pumping, because it can stimulate even more milk production.

⦁ Apply cold water or ice to your nipples to decrease leaking.




As volunteers women are not paid for their milk when donated. Milk banks pay for tests to make sure that the donors are healthy, and the processing and shipping of milk to the bank. In order to obtain human milk from a milk bank, moms need a prescription from their doctor.

For more information, visit the website for the Human Milk Banking Association of North America for a list of milk banks in your area." (Smith)





2) Very few viruses can pass through breast milk. However, if you are HIV positive you should not breastfeed your child, because this can and will be pass along to your child. Women with Hepatitis C also have a high risk of infecting their child through breastfeeding, however it is not certain.



3) Sore nipples are the most common complaints by new mothers. Always be able to differ from soreness or nipple pain. you can usually tell the difference between normal nipple sensitivity and pain based how the pain or soreness changes over time. Normal sensitivity subsides 30 seconds after breastfeeding begins. Nipple pain will persist or gets worse after suckling begins. Severe pain that continues after the first week of birth is likely to be a nipple injury.







4) A plugged milk duct can cause a tender or painful lump to form in the breast. If the nipple itself is plugged, a white dot or bleb can form at the end of the nipple.




Here are some things you can do to prevent and deal with a plugged duct:



Try to position the baby so that his or her chin is near the plugged area, because this will help drain the area better. You can also try pumping to improve drainage.



You Should Not Quit Breastfeeding, as this could lead to engorgement and worsen the problem.

⦁ Try taking a warm shower, then massaging your breast from the outer part of your breast toward the nipple to try and decrease the blockage.

⦁ Take a mild pain reliever.

⦁ If your blockage does not get better within two days, see your healthcare provider, as it could turn out to be more serious, and could turn into Galactoceles.

                       "Galactoceles — Sometimes a blocked milk duct can cause a milk-filled cyst called a galactocele to form . Unless they are infected, galactoceles are usually painless, but they can get quite large. If necessary, a health care provider can drain a galactocele using a needle, or suggest surgery if the problem is severe."





5)
production doesn't slow or stop.



⦁ Don't be separated from your baby for too long.



⦁ Don't give up breastfeeding and feed formula, then try again to breastfeed.





6) Babies may have a reaction to something the mother eats. Symptoms of an allergy from the mother's diet include diarrhea, rash, fussiness, gas, dry skin, or the baby pulling up his/her knees and screaming. This doesn't mean the baby is allergic to the mother's milk just an active part in the milk. The problem will usually go away on its own if you can identify the allergy and stop eating that particular food.




7) Always check with your health care provider before taking medicine. Take the drug just after nursing can decrease the exposure of the medication to the child. Even mothers who take daily medication for conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, or high blood pressure may be able to breastfeed.





8) Women tend to think a lot of fluids leads to a good milk supply, which is untrue. A nursing woman does, however, need to drink enough fluids to stay well hydrated for her own health. It is recommended that you drink 16 Oz of liquid before you breastfeed to increase your hydration.





9) Results from studies show that, five 5 ounce cups of coffee per day can cause the baby to be fussy and not able to sleep well, while fewer than five 5 ounce cups usually doesn't cause a problem.






10)




Make sure to check out what Rachelle Lesteshen a breastfeeding counselor and  advocate had to say about the lack of breastfeeding support online!

  "Moms come to these groups for support and to get answers to many questions.  Many of these Facebook groups are closed or secret in order to protect the privacy of the members.  Because many feel these groups are safe places, they post things they wouldn’t be comfortable sharing on their personal Facebook pages.  In these groups, you’ll find things like pictures of mystery rashes, questions about the color of an infant’s stool, birth photography, questions about breasts, and breastfeeding images.  Moms post these things because they want advice from their peers—other moms who have experienced similar issues." (Lesteshen)






These Are 10 Ways Ways Exclusively Breastfeeding Can Go Wrong. 
Thanks For Reading!!!!!