FDA provides parent education to fight obesity
Help families lead the fight against child obesity by helping their children to eat healthfully at home, FDA says.
Help families lead the fight against child obesity by helping their children to eat healthfully at home, says FDA. Nutrition Facts labels appear on all prepared foods and list every ingredient in the order of highest predominance to lowest, along with calories, serving size, and percentage of a day's nutrients per serving. If sugar, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, or sucrose appears at the top of the order, FDA advises parents not to buy that item because the processed sugar is replacing more nutritious ingredients.
You can refer parents to FDA advice at www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/default.htm. Parents should look for whole grains and fiber; pass on saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium; stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables; and balance proteins, nutrients, and vitamins and minerals when planning meals and snacks.
Parents should pay attention to portion sizes. Just 1 serving size of a food item should be premeasured before putting it on a plate, and children should never eat out of a container.
Reading between the lines: teaching teens to use nutrition facts labels
March 4th 2025Colleen Sloan, PA-C, RDN, emphasizes the importance of learning to spot added sugars, compare portion sizes, and recognize misleading marketing claims to give patients a practical tool to take ownership of their health.
