Two new studies show how important forming healthy food and beverage habits can be in children and adolescents. This science adds to a growing body of evidence that has helped shape a new nutrition and physical activity program from the National Football League and National Dairy Council (NDC) called Fuel Up to Play 60.
One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that what 5-year-old girls drink can predict their weight status for the remainder of childhood and into adolescence. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that those who drank more sweetened beverages, such as soda and sports drinks, at the age of 5 were more likely to be overweight over the following 10 years. Additionally, the nutrient-rich beverages displaced the sodas and sports drinks - girls who drank more milk and 100% fruit juice drank fewer nutritionally empty sweetened beverages.
"This study shows why it's so important to lay the early groundwork for creating healthy eating habits using nutrient-rich foods, because it can have a significant longer-term impact," says Leann Birch, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Human Development and one of the study's authors. "These findings show just how much everyday choices - like picking milk or fruit juice over a soda - can matter, especially for children."
Another study, in the current issue of Public Health Nutrition, reinforces recent reports that suggest low consumption of nutrient-rich foods - specifically low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains - can contribute to obesity among young adults.
Several schools are acting on the obesity crisis among youth as well as this growing body of science by taking steps to improve their health and wellness environment. Many are using Fuel Up to Play 60, which aims to reach 36.6 million students in an expected 60,000 schools in the 2009-2010 school year. Fuel Up to Play 60 acts on the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which call for increased access to nutrient-rich foods from the "food groups to encourage" (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The program works in two ways to help students make their schools a healthier place: