Healthyroads Offers Five Tips to Help You Improve Your Family's Nutrition and Reduce Childhood Obesity

SAN DIEGO, March 3, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- America's First Lady, Michelle Obama, is challenging American families to rethink their eating habits and help turn around the nation's disturbing continual increase in childhood obesity. Her newly launched "Let's Move" campaign shines a spotlight on the unpleasant fact that one in three U.S. kids is overweight or obese and includes funding to help families get access to healthier foods in local markets and schools. But there is plenty that parents can do to make sure their family's food choices and eating habits are healthy; and what better time to do it than now -- during National Nutrition Month?

National wellness organization Healthyroads wants to help you get started on the road to healthier eating. Here are five tips to help your family make better nutrition choices and live longer, healthier lives:

1.    Make Healthy Eating Fun by Planting a Garden

A fun way to teach your kids about nutrition is to start from the "ground" floor by planting a fruit and vegetable garden. Kids love to learn by doing, and they don't mind getting their hands dirty either. A garden lets them do both. Select a small 4' x 7' area in your yard, and build an 18" box around it from wood or brick. Dig out any grass or weeds in your garden plot, and add a four-inch layer of organic soil to the box. Take your kids to the garden store, and let them select their own fruit or vegetable seed packets or seedlings to grow. Be sure to ask the nursery expert to explain to the kids what is "in season" and how to grow it. Strawberries, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and herbs like basil or mint are all good, easy-to-grow choices. Then watch as your kids have fun planting, harvesting, tasting, and enjoying healthy, fresh foods.

2.    Prepare Healthy, Family-Focused Meals at Home

Starting the day with a healthy, hearty breakfast can enhance mental and physical energy at school and reduce unhealthy snacking. Oatmeal, whole grain cereals, and fruit provide a healthy start to the day. Send along a banana or apple for a mid-morning snack. Use dinner as a time for family fun and discussion. Involve the kids in choosing and making the meal while guiding them to healthy options. Provide a balanced meal of vegetables, whole grains, and protein. Watch portion sizes. Serve bigger portions of vegetables, medium portions of whole grains, and small servings of meats.

3.    Grocery Shop with Your Kids

Your kids can learn a lot about healthy food choices by going grocery shopping with you. Explain that the healthiest foods come from the produce area, and let them pick out their own fruits and veggies. Show them that most packaged foods are processed and can contain less healthy ingredients like corn syrup, sugar, salt, and trans fats. Show your kids how to read and understand the labels. Focus on label information such as total calories, fats, and trans fats per serving. Make a game of it. When they choose cereal, for example, have them find the cereals with the fewest calories, fats, or other unhealthy ingredients.

4.    Rethink Snacks

Cookies, sodas, candy bars, and chips are treats that most kids crave. But it's time to rethink snacks and eliminate those empty calories that are a huge part of today's obesity problem. Substitute flavored waters and low-calorie fresh-squeezed juices for sodas. Offer nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, and almonds instead of chips. Buy frozen fruit bars and low-calorie frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. And offer low-fat trail mix or cereal bars instead of cookies.

5.    Set a Healthy Example

You've heard the old saying "You are what you eat," but there is evidence to show that your children are what you eat too. In other words, if you make poor food choices and are overweight, it's likely that your kids will make the same poor food choices and could grow up with weight problems. Set a healthy example for your kids. They'll be more likely to pick an apple over a candy bar if they see you happily munching down a Fuji or Golden Delicious.

"Don't be afraid to ask for help in revamping your family's nutrition program," says Elizabeth Thompson MPH, RD, vice president of coaching programs at Healthyroads. "Ask your doctor or health plan to refer you to a nutritionist who can help you plan meals and grocery lists. Go online and use Internet meal planning guides. There are lots of free tools and information online and even at your local library."

About Healthyroads and American Specialty Health

American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a national health and wellness company that provides health improvement programs, specialty network management programs, and fitness and exercise services to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds. Based in San Diego, ASH has more than 700 employees and covers over 15.6 million members.

Healthyroads, Inc. is the health improvement subsidiary of ASH and offers a wide range of personal health solutions--including award-winning telephone-based personal health coaching programs, member engagement promotion programs, incentive management programs, competitive challenges, worksite wellness programs and an integrated online health improvement portal, Healthyroads.com.

For more information about ASH health and wellness programs, visit ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.