Healthy New Year's Resolutions for Kids & Teens

If your kids haven't made their New Year's resolutions yet, here are some great ones from the American Academy of Pediatrics with a few additions/modifications from me.

Preschoolers
* I will clean up my toys.
* I won't tease the family dog or even a friendly dog, and I will avoid being bitten by keeping my fingers and face away from his mouth.

School Age Kids
* I will drink low fat 1% milk (or calcium & vitamin D fortified soy or rice milk) and lots of it
* I will limit soda and fruit drinks.
* I'll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name, or telephone number in an Internet chat room or on an Internet bulletin board. * Also, I'll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent's permission.

Teens
* I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day (French fries won't count) - for all ages
* I will limit the amount of sugary soda and fruit drinks I have.
* I will wipe negative "self talk" (i.e. "I can't do it" or "I'm so dumb") out of my vocabulary.

I will post a few more goodies tomorrow in honor of the actual New Year beginning. And please send me any good resolutions you or your kids have made for better health.

Happy Happy New Year!

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Insalata Caprese

While I was writing the recipe for the bruschetta I got kind of tomato basil happy, and was thinking "Insalata Caprese is a fabulous appetizer too and even easier to make". So if you've got extra tomatoes or want an alternative here's another recipe to serve at your New Year's party (or any party this coming year).

I'm not even going to write it down in recipe form because it is that easy. All you need are vine ripened tomatoes (they really are the best tasting), some buffalo mozzarella (or fresh soft mozzarella, usually in the deli section), basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper (both optional).

*Slice your tomatoes in 1/4 circles and lay them out flat on a large platter.
*Slice your mozzarella in 1/4 inch circles too, and lay one slice on top of each tomato slice.
*Garnish each with a basil leaf or two.
*Drizzle a little olive oil over each tomato/mozzarella slice.
*If desired season with salt and pepper.

And you're done!

FYI (for your Italian) - Caprese is pronounced "ka-pray-zay" and not "ka-preez-ee". have fun!

(photo courtesy of Kent Wang)

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Recipe of the Week: Bruschetta

Looking for a healthy appetizer to bring to your New Year's party? And you also want people to eat it? Look no more, bruschetta is just the ticket. It's easy to make, definitely yummy, low cal and counts towards your daily veggie intake.



Bruschetta
Ingredients:
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup basil leaves, sliced into narrow ribbons
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 10 (1/2– inch thick) slices French bread, cut at an angle, toasted (optional)

Preparation:
*Combine all the ingredients except the French bread
*Cover and let stand 30 minutes-2 hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld
*Top each bread slice with one tablespoon of tomato mixture.

If you don't want to go to the trouble of slicing the French bread, toasty crackers work too. Trader Joe's has great little toast crackers that are square and bite size. You could even try Melba toast or some other toasty crispy cracker.

To make it even easier, serve the bruschetta in a bowl with a spoon and let your guests scoop it onto the bread or crackers themselves.

And here's a tip to help you sound authentic if you're not already Italian. Bruschetta is pronounced broo-sket-ta. That's right, in Italian the 'ch' is not soft, but rather hard like a 'k'. So no more saying broo-shet-ta!

Enjoy and have a fruit and veggie filled day!

This recipe was generously provided by the Los Angeles County Nutrition Program's Ask the Dietitian program.

(photo courtesy of Giovanni JL)

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Food Travel Hassles - (But Happy to Be On Vacation)

Merry Christmas all. I have been MIA the past week as I am on vacation aboard a cruise ship sailing down the Mexican Riviera. And what an interesting food experience this is! (Now don't get me wrong.. I am having a fabulous time.. I just feel the urge to share this experience with you.)

I say that because I am pretty much having to throw caution to the wind with my food preferences because I just can't seem to adequately communicate what I want. I think the concept of 'no dairy' must be an American thing. Lactose intolerance is pretty common around the world so this surprises me. Anyway, our first night on the ship, dinner was quite the hassle trying to convey this concept. Ok, I don't eat dairy products, fine. That includes butter. I actually don't eat butter cuz I just plain DO NOT like it! Is that an acceptable reason? Apparently not.

All I asked is that my fish (or anything else) not be prepared with butter, but with olive oil, and you would have thought I was trying to hold up the place. The maitre d' was sent over in a frenzy and decided that since I asked for no butter that meant I wanted everything plain, i.e. steamed vegetables only. Excuse me! I want my veggies to have some flavor too! Just not butter flavor. Is there no culinary imagination or flexibility?

And then of course I have to feign a milk "allergy" in order to have my food prepared without butter. I guess not "liking" a food is not enough reason to request that I not be served it. I do have some degree of lactose intolerance, but really it is none of their business why my food preferences are the way they are. It is not for the maitre d', waiter or chef to judge.

Am I alone in this issue? I have found in my travels outside of the United States that vegetarianism, whether it be vegan, lacto-ovo, pesca-vegan (which is what I am, and a sort of made up category) etc., is a foreign concept. Granted I have only traveled in Europe and Mexico so I have no experience with Asia, Africa or South America. Have any of you? I'd love to hear about your food travel experiences positive and negative and the approaches you took. Maybe it's a California thing and I'm spoiled.

Send in your stories. I'm dying to hear them.

On a yummier note, the pineapple on this ship is DELICIOUS! I've been OD'ing on it, but it's sooooooo good. The guacamole isn't bad either.

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Richard Simmons Advocates for More PE in Our Schools

I was watching the KTLA morning news today and Richard Simmons was a guest on the show. You remember him, "Sweatin' with the Oldies". Well, now he has turned his attention to the younger generation, and is trying to fight childhood obesity by promoting, of course, more physical activity.

He is specifically advocating for more Physical Education (PE) in schools, or in his words "to put PE back in schools". He's using all the right sound bites like "kids don't learn if they don't move" and "there's more than just math, science and reading". He makes excellent points. Kids who are more fit do perform better on standardized tests.

He's developed an online survey to get the public's opinion on how they feel about lack of PE in schools and whether they think there needs to be more of it. He plans to take the results of the survey to Congress and use this data to lobby for increased PE in schools. And that is definitely something we need. PE has become the first thing to go in this world of "No Child Left Behind" where straight up academics crowd out everything else. Academics are absolutely necessary but it really is true that kids will do better in school the more fit they are. I have to say I applaud his efforts.

Simmons isn't pushing sports so much, but non-competitive physical activity emphasizing fitness rather than athletic skill. And he's right; the kids who are already in sports aren't the ones we really need to worry about. It's the kids who don't necessarily have the athletic ability so they get left out. They don't get picked to be on the 'team'. Simmons is all about just getting kids to move like dancing to Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Rihanna; getting to kids on another level.

It's an interesting concept to invite the public to respond to an online survey on this particular issue, but it may be effective. We'll see. You can check out the survey at http://richardsimmons.com/askamerica.php. He does ask some personal questions like "are you or your kid overweight" which I think some might find offensive or intimidating. He could have left that out or softened up the questions some.

I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on Simmons campaign and other avenues we can take as a society to get our kids movin'!

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Revisting Holiday Healthy Eating Tips

The same tips apply from Underindulging on Thanksgiving for all the other holiday parties you'll be swinging by or hosting these last two weeks of December. But I wouldn't be a proper dietitian if I didn't offer up some more before the end of the jolly season.

If you've only got one party to go to or host, that's no big deal. It's all those parties all piled on top of each other that can get us into overeating consuming trouble. So keep these in mind when making the holiday party rounds (you don't have to adhere to all of them, do what works for you):

1. Beware of overeating the 'healthy' items at the table or on the buffet. They still have calories so moderation in everything still comes into play. "Healthy" or "lowfat" or "low carb" is not a license to go crazy
2. Eat your salad first before serving yourself dinner. Research shows this can help you eat fewer calories overall as these veggies fill you up a little but are low in calories.
3. (After the salad) fill two-thirds to three-quarters of your plate with fruit and vegetable dishes.
4. Use smaller plates. The less you put on your plate the less you eat, smaller plates will help.
5. Be mindful of all the nibbles, snacks and tastings you eat between meals and during the appetizer time of the party. Those calories count too and we tend to forget how much we really had as we nibble along.
6. Don't skip meals. That leads to overeating later.
7. Before you go back for seconds, wait 5 to 10 minutes and then ask yourself if you're still hungry. If you are, go ahead.
8. Focus on weight maintenance during the holidays rather than weight loss. Weight maintenance is a success.
9. Watch your liquid calories. There's lots of tasty eggnogs, ciders, muld wine, hot toddies and the like that go down easy but add up quickly.
10. Serve yourself rather than let someone else do it. That way you are in control of your portion size.
11. Choose your splurges wisely. If you're gonna forgo moderation on a treat or dish you really have to have, cut calories elsewhere or add in some extra activity to your day.
12. If you're hosting send leftovers home with your guests; if you're not avoid taking them (sounds incongruent but you may be the only person thinking this way)
13. If you're at a party get the dancing started!

Have a fruit and veggie filled day:)

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Soda Sales Not So Lucrative for Schools

One of the major arguments against removing sugary beverages like sodas and other soft drinks from school campuses is the negative financial impact it may have.

When I was working on the policy to remove sugary beverages from the Los Angeles Unified School District a few years ago, there was huge opposition from many parents, PE teachers, teachers in general, and school board members because of the fear that schools would lose much needed money from the soda revenue; money needed for uniforms, sports equipment and other school related supplies.

Well according to a new study released by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Public Health Advocacy Institute, schools aren't making that much money from these soda sales anyway. The researchers analyzed 120 beverage contracts with schools in 16 different states and found:

-On average beverage contracts generated just $18 per student per year, not a lot.
-Not all contracts are created equally depending on the negotiating skills of the schools financial officer. Some schools' contracts generated as little as $0.60 per student per year, while others generated $93. Big discrepancy suggesting that some schools are taken advantage of.
-On average 66% of beverage sales go to the beverage companies and only 33% to the schools.
-Other fund raisers like gift wrapping and selling candles yielded on average 45% of the revenue back to the schools. A much better yield.

I'm glad this study was done and it is very revealing, but we really could have used this data in 2002. Thankfully, the school nutrition climate has changed and with all schools required to have Wellness Policies many have eliminated these unhealthful beverages already. Some states have passed legislation banning or limiting their sale in schools.

So we're finally on the right track but is your child's school still selling non-diet sugar filled beverages like regular Coke, Pepsi, Snapple and the like? If so advocate for a better nutrition environment for your child's school. Gain community support and go to the school board and work on a policy for change.

To read more about this study (and possibly use it for ammunition) click on this title Raw Deal: School Beverage Contracts Less Lucrative Than They Seem.

Have a healthful beverage filled day!

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Recipe of the Week: Jicama Orange Salad

Jicama (pronounced hee-ka-ma) is one of my favorite 'munch on' vegetables and gives a nice gnoshing break from baby carrots during the long winter. If you're not familiar with jicama you may know it by its other names 'yambean' or 'Mexican potato'. It's that brown, round potato looking tuber usually near the other root vegetables in the produce section. (If you still can't locate it ask your grocer to point it out to you).

Unlike the potato, you don't want to eat the skin of a jicama. You can peel it off but that will still leave some woody underskin. I find it easier to cut it off with a sharp knife.

Jicama is low in calories (1 cup has less than 50 calories!), high in vitamin C with a good amount of fiber and a decent dose of potassium (not to mention a dash of iron). Jicama doesn't need much; I usually just cut it up into sticks and eat as is. But it's great for dipping and is wonderful with a little lime and chili powder sprinkled on top. Jicama is also great in salads because its flavor is very mild and adds a nice crunch when needed. So without further ado here is....

Jicama Orange Salad
Ingredients:
-1 medium jicama, skinned (is that an appropriate word to use when speaking of vegetables?) and cubed
-2 cans (11 oz) mandarin oranges, rinsed well if in syrup, or 2 oranges, peeled and chopped
-1 Tbs Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
-1 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Dressing
-1/3 cup orange juice
-1/2 tsp olive or canola oil
-1/8-1/4 tsp chili powder

Preparation:
Shake up dressing ingredients well then toss with jicama, oranges, onions (if desired) and cilantro in a large bowl.
If you want to turn this into a green salad add a bag of mixed greens. And/or throw in an avocado if that's a family favorite.

When picking your jicama look for the nice and firm ones, and avoid ones with mold.

I must give credit where credit is due. I tweaked this recipe a little bit that originally came from Orange County Coalition Nutrition Network. Thank you OCDE!

I've come across several other recipes today with jicama so I might just post some more along the way.

Have a fruit and veggie filled day!

(photos courtesy of Igb)

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How Do I Know What an Appropriate Portion Size Is?

As a dietitian I do a lot of talking about portion size and how important it is to limit them. But let's be real. How often do you really measure out your food and snacks? I don't even do that, I just kind of eyeball it. But I also have a pretty good idea of what's what since I've been at this a while. That does take some practice, so it is helpful to know how to approximate portion sizes using some everyday objects including our hands.

Here is a portion size guide adapted from a great parent resource called A PARENT’S GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY by the Healthy Children Healthy Futures Child Health Initiative:

• 1 cup = your fist or cupped hand (keep in mind Shaquille O'Neal's hand is probably 2 or 3 or 4 cups, so we're talking an average sized person's hand)
• 1 ounce of cheese = your thumb or a pair of dice
• 1 teaspoon = your thumb tip (again Shaq's is probably a tablespoon or 2, and a baby's is probably 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1-2 ounces snack food = a handful (unless you have a largish hand, than it's 1/2 a handful)
• 3 ounces of meat= deck of cards, cassette tape (remember those), your palm (same rules apply)
• 2 ounces dry spaghetti = a quarter
• ½ cup cooked brown rice or pasta or mashed potatoes = ½ baseball or an ice cream scoop
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter = a ping pong ball
• 1 ounce peanuts = 1 ½ golf balls

If you've got some other good 'rules of thumb' to help judge portion sizes or common household measurements send then along.

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Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility in Feeding

Before leaving for my Xmas vacation, I attended an excellent workshop sponsored by the Orange County and Los Angeles Regional Nutrition Networks, entitled "Nutrition Education for Parents - Getting to the Next Level". A lot of great resources were provided and different techniques were talked about. But what seemed to come up over and over again in the many presentations was Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility of Feeding. Ellyn Satter is a highly respected pioneer in child feeding practices and author of several how-to books.

I've talked about some of her concepts before but now that the New Year is upon us and folks are thinking about starting new habits, I felt compelled to share her Division of Responsibility of Feeding. Enjoy and I am curious to hear your thoughts on this:

The Division of Responsibility for Toddlers through Adolescents
• The parent is responsible for what, when, where
• The child is responsible for how much and whether

Jobs parents need to do with feeding include:
• Choose and prepare the food
• Provide regular meals and snacks
• Make eating times pleasant
• Show children what they have to learn about food and mealtime behavior
• Not let children graze for food or beverages between times
• Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them

Fundamental to parents’ jobs is trusting children to decide how much and whether to eat. If parents do their jobs with feeding, children do their jobs with eating:
• Children will eat
• They will eat the amount they need
• They will eat an increasing variety of food
• They will grow predictably
• They will learn to behave well at the table

"Crossing the lines of Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding is likely to create feeding problems and distort growth. Trying to control what or how much a child eats or how his body turns out crosses the lines. So does letting the child dictate the family menu. For a further explanation of the division of responsibility, see any of Ellyn Satter's four books"; (from www.ellynsatter.com)

*Your Child’s Weight: Helping Without Harming
*Child of Mine: Feeding With Love and Good Sense
*Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family
*How To Get Your Kid To Eat... But Not Too Much

You can find these on her website at www.ellynsatter.com

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In the News this Week

I didn't want the week to end without getting your thoughts on a couple news items this week. You've probably already heard about them so let's hear what you think:

1. On Monday I told you about the new policy report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), that targets junk food advertising to kids. You knew it wouldn't be long before the food industry spoke out against the report, Children, Adolescents and Advertising that urges physicians to take action to curb those ads.

Needless to say they aren't happy (why would they be?). Kraft, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Campbell's, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the Food Products Association, and the Association of National Advertisers are all pointing to the self-regulating Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative that was announced in November. Remember this? (see More Big Food News: Tacos and Kiddie Ads)) In this initiative they promise to limit advertising to kids in schools and other arenas. But is it enough? I think any curbs in kiddie ads is a good thing whether it's self-regulated or a government mandate. There's simply too much.

2. McDonald's announced it is testing mini-gyms for kids 4-12 at seven restaurants in California, Illinois, Colorado and Oklahoma. And they're going high tech with stationary bikes with video games, electronic basketball hoops that cheer when a basket is made, video dance pads and kid friendly climbing equipment. Of course they're getting criticism from those saying they are doing this just to improve their image. But exercise is good for kids and the gyms sound like fun. My question is, what kid is going to want to 'work out' after a quarter pounder, large fries and extra large soda?

3. New research published in the December issue of Pediatrics has found that fast food restaurants in childrens' hospitals encourage families to eat more fast food and gives them a false sense that it is healthy (it's in a hospital after all). It is appalling that some of these fast food joints that offer less than healthy items are in our hospitals, but it's true. I don't know what else to say, but this is so incongruent. Check out the study's abstract by clicking here and weigh in.

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Give Activity Inspiring Gifts

Holiday gift giving is the perfect time to introduce some activity promoting gifts that will get your kid moving. I came across some great activity related gift ideas on the Newswise today from a Purdue University childhood fitness expert, Carole DeHaven. So I thought I'd better share them with you before you've completed all your holiday shopping (I'll be in the stores Xmas eve guaranteed).

DeHaven is telling parents to not only give active gifts but to take the time to get involved themselves in the activity with their kids. According to DeHaven "This time together also is an opportunity for adults to demonstrate how to use the new toy and address any safety concerns. Safety should always be first when promoting an active lifestyle for children."

And it goes without saying (but I'll do it anyway), if you as a parent or caregiver are showing junior how to use the new toy, bike, rollerblades or whatever it is, you're getting a little exercise too.

Here are DeHaven's movin' gift tips:

* Bicycle, sled, skates or in-line skates. Be sure to provide the necessary safety gear.
* Pedometers for the whole family. Challenge family members to see who can log the most footsteps in a day.
* Jump ropes, tumbling mats, balls, pogo sticks or Hula-Hoops.
* Active board games like Twister, or virtual reality games where children dance or participate in aerobic football.
* A variety of community resources. For example, give a coupon to meet a child every Tuesday for a walk in the park.
* Money to pay for their participation in organized sports, such as local youth programs for sports, gymnastics or ballet.
* Books that promote physical activity, such as "Angelina's Ballet Class."
* Favorite music for a child to dance to.

Kids really do have the best play toys that we can take hint from. Which I did. I recently purchased a hippity hop for myself and let me tell you not only is it fun to bounce around on that thing, but I work up a sweat.

If you're got any other activity inspiring gifts, send those ideas along and I'll chare them with y'all.

Ok.. I'm gonna go hop around my living room now.

(photos courtesy of basykes and lobo235)

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Grand Rounds 3.11

Many thanx to Emily DeVoto, Ph.D at The Antidote: Counterspin for Health Care and Health News for hosting this week's Grand Rounds 3.11. A fantastic job with the huge task of highlighting a total of 37 fabulous medical clogs. Click on the title above to find other blogs that fit your interests. Emily has a specific segment dedicated to Adolescent Health which I think you'll find very useful.

And and second thank you to Emily for including my submission Teens and Weight Loss Surgery...hmmmm.

Enjoy and as always have a fruit and veggie filled day!

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Recipe of the Week: Winter Kiwi Fruit Salad

Think there's no good fruit left in the wintertime? Have you thought about kiwis?

You've probably noticed more of these weird looking oval, hairy, brown fruits (or maybe you thought they were a vegetable) popping up and going on sale in your grocery store, this season. They look pretty unappetizing but cut them open and they are beautifully green and delicious on the inside. So how do we eat them?

You can cut them in half and eat with a spoon, or add to a salad or smoothie. I personally like them with the skin (well washed of course) still on. You get more fiber and a bit more tartness. I think I'm in the minority there though. Here's a lovely and easy to make fruit salad to get your kids to try something new.





Winter Kiwi Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup 100% orange or pineapple juice
2 oranges, sections cut in half
2 apples, cored and diced
2 bananas, slice
4 kiwifruit, peel (if you prefer) & dice

Instructions:
Place everything in a bowl, toss & serve (the juice is high in vitamin C and helps prevent the cut fruit from browning).

Kiwis are higher in vitamin C than an orange and are also a good source of potassium (a nutrient most of us do not get enough of) and Vitamin E.

Enjoy! And many thanx to the Los Angeles Unified School District's California Nutrition Network Harvest of the Month Program for generously providing this recipe.

(Photo courtesy of threed)

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More Ammo to Fight Junk Food Ads to Our Kids

Last Friday I told you how you can submit comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on junk food advertising to kids. The FTC is investigating food and beverage advertising techniques used to reel our kids in.

On the heels of this investigation, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement urging physicians to take action. In Children, Adolescents and Advertising, published in the December issue of Pediatrics, the AAP urges physicians to do their part in curtailing advertising targeted at our kids. Among the many recommendations, there are a couple I wanted to highlight. In the report, physicians are asked to:

Work with parent and public health groups to:
-ask Congress to implement a ban on junk-food advertising during programming that is viewed predominantly by young children
-ask Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to limit commercial advertising on children's programming to no more than 5 to 6 minutes/hour, which would decrease the current amount by 50%

The recommendations span alcohol and tobacco advertising as well as food advertising. If you decided to send a comment to the FTC, check out this report for more ammo. I think we are seeing the tide about to change!

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Holiday Food Safety Tips

We talked about turkey safety already back in November and now that Christmas is coming up it's time for some additional food safety steps you should take when hosting the 'big meal'. Here are five that'll get you started.

1. Stick to the two-hour rule:
Don't leave food out on the table for more than two hours. After two hours bacteria can multiply to harmful levels and cause illness. Two hours may seem like a long window of time. But remember these two hours starts from the time that food either came out of the oven or the refrigerator or off the stove. If you're serving appetizers we tend to forget about them and leave our sour cream and chip dips out for several hours. And all that food at the dinner table often does get put away right away. Check your watch every time you serve or put any food out and keep track of those two hours.

2. Store leftovers properly:
Put away leftovers in a refrigerator that is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Use shallow containers so foods cool more quickly. Do not wait for hot foods to 'cool' before refrigerating! That's just asking for trouble.

3. Wash a lot!
Always wash your hands with soap and water before handling food. If you pet the pet, wash them again. If you're handling raw meat, poultry or fish and switch to vegetables or some other food, wash not only your hands again but the surface you just used, with warm water and soap (or see #4). When in doubt, wash. This cuts the risk of cross-contamination.

4. Speaking of cross contamination:
Use different cutting boards for produce than for raw meat, poultry and fish.

5. Wash all fruits and vegetables well:
Under running water (not in a bowl of water or otherwise) thoroughly rinse all produce, even those with rinds and peels. Bacteria can live on the rind and peel and then contaminate whatever they come into contact with (your hands, a knife).

Stay safe and for more food safety tips visit www.fightbac.org

(photo courtesy of Pengrin)

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Head's Up: Have Your Say About Junk Food Advertising Targeted at Our Kids

Got something to say about junk food advertising to our kids? Well get ready.

On the heels of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?, Congress has asked The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to further investigate food and beverage marketing practices targeted at our children.

The reigning theory is that junk food advertising is one culprit to blame for the rising childhood obesity crisis. Indeed the IOM reported that "current food and beverage marketing practices puts children's long-term health at risk" and now Congress wants to go a step further. Get the FTC involved and find out what food industry is really doing to hook our kids on junk food (and junk drinks).

Here's where you come in. The FTC has asked for public comment (you again) on this issue but the deadline is December 21. Public opinion goes a long way and if you have anything to say at all do it. You can submit your comment electronically by going to their website https://secure.commentworks.com/foodmarketingpaperworkcomment/.

FTC prefers electronic comments but they are also accepting snail mail to:
Federal Trade Commission/Office of the Secretary
Room H-135 (Annex R)
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580

If you snail mail your written comment they ask that you reference “Food Industry Marketing to Children Report: Paperwork Comment; FTC File No. P064504” on both the envelope and letter/written comment, and send them two copies.

If you read the IOM's report I think you will be appalled at what goes on in the advertising world to hook our kids and the connection to childhood obesity. I'm sure you've experienced that nagging pressure from your children to buy certain foods and drinks. That's no accident. That's exactly what food manufacturers want to happen.

Your voice is meaningful and the time is now! Good luck and let's hope this step takes us in the right direction.

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