Nutrition for Your Kids

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Nutrition for Your Kids

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he road to lifelong health begins with a nutritiousdiet and exercise, not only for keeping a healthy heart and trim waistline, but also for preventing cancer. In this guide, you will

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nd the tools you and your family need to get started on a healthy path: up-to-date nutritionand cancer information, advice on changing habits, tips to get your family motivated, and plenty of delicious recipes.

Cancer PreventionRight from the Start

The earlier children start eating anutritious diet rich in cancer-fighting foods,the greater their chances of staying healthyfor life. Cancers of the colon, breast,and prostate are influenced by diet,exercise, and healthy weight control.Lifelong eating habits are establishedin childhood, and the longer the exposureto cancer-fighting foods and the avoidance of cancer-promoting foods, the greater the likelihoodthat cancer won’t strike during adulthood.More than one million people are diagnosed with cancerin the United States each year, and 30 to 60 percent of these cancers are potentially preventable with a healthydiet.

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An unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle leadto obesity, which in turn increases cancer risk. Buildingone’s diet from whole grains, legumes, vegetables, andfruits provides a regimen loaded with cancer-ﬁghtingantioxidants, phytochemicals, and ﬁber,and helps promote healthy weightcontrol. The chart on the next pagecompares the nutrient information ina few popular American foodsto similar vegetarian options.

he road to lifelong health begins with a nutritious

T

P l a y w i t h Y o u r F o o d A r t ©

started on a healthy path: up-to-date nutritionand cancer information, advice on changinghabits, tips to get your family motivated, andplenty of delicious recipes.started on a healthy path: up-to-date nutritionand cancer information, advice on changinghabits, tips to get your family motivated, andplenty of delicious recipes.

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CancerRightfrom

The earlier children start eating a

Prevention

nutritious diet rich in cancer-fighting foods,the greater their chances of staying healthyfor life. Cancers of the colon, breast,in childhood, and the longer the exposureto cancer-fighting foods and the avoidance ofantioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber,and helps promote healthy weightcontrol. The chart on the next pagecompares the nutrient information ina few popular American foodsto similar vegetarian options.

As you can see, a veggie burger has20 less grams of fat and 180 lesscalories than a typical hamburger, anda homemade bean burrito withlettuce, tomato,and salsa has 16less grams of fat,135 less calories, and 8 extra grams of cancer-ﬁghting ﬁber compared to a fast-food chili-cheese burrito.It’s easy to make the switch and wellworth the time. It is important tohelp children choose a healthy eatingstyle and incorporate fun physicalactivity in their lives now and in thefuture to help ward off cancer and otherchronic diseases.

Food Calories Fat (g) Fiber (g)Veggie Burger 264 0.5 8Hamburger 444 21 2 HomemadeBean Burrito 255 2 12Fast-foodChili-CheeseBurrito 390 18 4

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As you can see, a veggie burger has20 less grams of fat and 180 lesscalories than a typical hamburger, anda homemade bean burrito withand salsa has 16less grams of fat,135 less calories, and 8 extra grams of35 less calories, and 8 extra grams ofcancer-ﬁghting ﬁber compared to a fast-food chili-cheese burrito.It’s easy to make the switch and wellworth the time. It is important tohelp children choose a healthy eatingstyle and incorporate fun physicalactivity in their lives now and in thefuture to help ward off cancer and otherchronic diseases.

390 18 4

As you can see, a veggie burger has20 less grams of fat and 180 lesscalories than a typical hamburger, anda homemade bean burrito with135 less calories, and 8 extra grams of35 less calories, and 8 extra grams ofcancer-ﬁghting ﬁber compared to a fast-food chili-cheese burrito.It’s easy to make the switch and wellworth the time. It is important tohelp children choose a healthy eatingstyle and incorporate fun physicalactivity in their lives now and in thefuture to help ward off cancer and otherIt’s easy to make the switch and wellactivity in their lives now and in thefuture to help ward off cancer and otherchronic diseases.

Lifelong Habits Start Early

Food preferences and lifestyle habits of physical activity are setearly in life. Introducing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, andlegumes to children as early as possible increases the likelihoodthat they will choose and prefer those foods throughout theirlives. A recent review found that vegetarian diets, when adoptedat an early age, provide nutritional advantages and lead tohealthy eating habits in adulthood.

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Vegetarian teens have higherintakes of cancer-ﬁghting antioxidants and essential vitaminsand minerals.A study published in the

International Journal of Cancer

found thatvegetarians had reduced breast cancer risk, compared to meat-eat-ers, most likely due to the abundance of healthy foods and theavoidance of meat throughout their lives.

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Women in this studywith the highest intake of vegetables, legumes, and ﬁber had ap-proximately half the odds of developing breast cancer comparedto women with the lowest intake.Research points to exercise and healthy weight control asimportant variables in warding off cancer. Helping toengage children in a variety of physical activities earlyon also ensures that they will remain active adults. In2010, nearly half the children in North America will beoverweight or obese, according to a recentreport in the

International Journal of Pediatric Obesity

.Physical activity in itself helps to reduce cancer risk, but in combination witha healthy, plant-based diet, it also helps to promoteweight control.

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Research points to exercise and healthy weight control asimportant variables in warding off cancer. Helping toengage children in a variety of physical activities earlyon also ensures that they will remain active adults. In2010, nearly half the children in North America will beoverweight or obese, according to a recent.helps to reduce cancer risk, but in combination witha healthy, plant-based diet, it also helps to promote