Childhood Obesity – eating habits

American children are moving toward ‘constant eating’ with three snacks a day as well as three regular meals, according to a paper published in the journal Health Affairs.

Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past 30 years, with about one in three American children currently overweight or obese, according to government figures.

In 2006, the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, “aimed at shifting the mix of advertising messaging directed to children under 12 to encourage healthier dietary choices and healthy lifestyles” – including reducing the use of licensed third-party characters to promote unhealthy foods to children.

Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past 30 years, with about one in three American children currently overweight or obese, according to government figures.
There is growing concern about children’s health in many parts of the western world, particularly in terms of rising obesity rates, but what are children actually eating, and what influences their choices?

Researchers assessed 397 products that used cross-promotions – such as use of third-party licensed characters, as well as tie-ins with other television shows and movies, athletes, sports teams and events, theme parks, toys and games, and charities. They found that over the three years the number of products using youth-oriented cross-promotions nearly doubled.
Some major trends in children’s eating habits could change as the economy recovers – but foods marketed as natural and healthful are here to stay.

Natural and organic
Although organic foods for kids have increased in popularity, price would remain a hurdle for many parents. Private label organic foods have helped growth in the sector, and even though there is no official definition of ‘natural’, the concept of natural is still appealing to parents.

“The reason they are still growing is because supermarkets are making natural and organic foods available…Mothers do care about trying to buy good stuff for their kids but having said that it’s really the enlightened parents that are buying organic and natural. The trend is more across households than foods just for kids.”

Comfort eating
Meanwhile, sales of so-called comfort foods, such as pancake mix, cookie dough, mac and cheese, and frozen pizzas have risen, and as recession-squeezed families go out for meals less often, kids are increasingly preparing these foods for themselves.

However, as western economies are pulling out of recession, “comfort food’s going to be gone by the time other companies get there.”

The most successful kids’ foods are those that are healthful, natural and low-fat and those qualities are likely to remain popular, even as other trends come and go.

Source: Health Affairs
Source: Public Health Nutrition

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