Myth: There aren’t many things my teenager will do instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer screen.

Answer: BUSTED!

With National Screen-Free Week this week, May 5–11, help your teenager come up with alternatives to watching TV or sitting in front of a computer screen. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Do stretching exercises or yoga.
• Find a new hobby.
• Find a cause and volunteer at a local group to support it.
• Plant a vegetable garden.
• Try a new sport.

Find more ideas for your teenager at Play More, Watch Less

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There aren’t many activities my young child would enjoy instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer screen.

Answer: BUSTED!

With National Screen-Free Week coming up May 5-11, 2014, you will want to have some ideas for your young child as alternatives to watching TV or sitting in front of a computer screen. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Start a parade with musical instruments.
• Play with bowls, cups and spoons on a protected surface.
• Tend to a family garden or indoor plant container.
• Dance and sing to music.
• Enroll your child in the local public library’s Summer Library Reading Program.
• Take a walk and clean up litter or collect nature souvenirs (sticks, leaves, rocks, etc).

Find more fun ideas for everyone in the family at Play More, Watch Less.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There aren’t many activities that 6-12 year-olds would enjoy instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer screen.

Answer: BUSTED!

With National Screen-Free Week coming up on May 5-11, you will want to have some ideas for your 6-12 year old as alternatives to watching TV or sitting in front of a computer screen. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Play hide-and-seek indoors or outside.
• Play flashlight tag in the dark.
• Stand on one foot, keeping a balloon in the air using your hands and other foot.
• Play board games.
• Get involved in crafts.
• Write a play for the family to act out.

Find more ideas for everyone in the family at Play More, Watch Less.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There aren’t good alternatives to get my family away from their screens.

Answer: BUSTED!

National Screen-Free Week, May 5–11, is the perfect time for your family to celebrate being ‘unplugged.’ Here are some ideas for your family to consider as alternatives to watching TV or sitting in front of a computer or mobile device:

• Plan and prepare meals together.
• Visit a park.
• Take a walk down your street and collect litter.
• Plant a garden. Tend it daily. It’s great exercise!

As parents you can reinforce play for your children. Keep a toy box available. Or create an obstacle course in your backyard. Take steps like these to remind your children to play instead of watching TV.

For more ideas, see MU Extension publication Play More, Watch Less

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There aren’t any good ways to wean my children off of TV.

Answer: BUSTED!

National Screen-Free Week, May 5-11, may be just what your family needs. The average American watches 36 hours of TV a week – yikes! Start looking at your family’s screen habits now and think about how you can prepare for National Screen-Free Week to celebrate being ‘unplugged.’ Here are some ways to change these TV habits:

• Instead of sitting in front of a screen, get the family together to come up with alternative activities. Spring is a good time to get away from the TV, computer and tablet screens because you can include both indoor and outdoor activities. Post the ideas on your refrigerator.
• Take TVs out of bedrooms. 71% of 8 to 18-year-olds have a TV in their bedroom. Sleeping with the TV on can disrupt sleep and may make your child tired the next day at school.
• Turn off the TV during meals and put away tablets and cell phones. Instead, ask everyone about their day.
• Keep TV and computers off unless someone is using them.

For more ideas, see the MU Extension publication Play More, Watch Less (download a free PDF of this publication at the link provided).

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There aren’t any good free apps that teach my child about making healthy food choices.

Answer: BUSTED!

There’s a new entry into the world of mobile apps for parents and caregivers looking for free apps that teach children about healthy eating in a fun and engaging way. Body Quest: Food of the Warrior! is a series of seven iPad apps tested with third graders. Six Body Quest warriors are the narrators/guides in these mobile apps: Body Doc, Muscle Max, Graino Supa, Shining Rainbow, Fiberlicious and Super Slurper. Each of these warriors have super powers that come from healthy foods and drinks.

• Body Doc explores the goodness of fruits.
• Muscle Max ‘pumps you up’ with healthy sources of protein.
• Graino Supa is the warrior focused on healthy grains.
• Shining Rainbow shines the light on vegetables.
• Fiberlicious reminds us where to find fiber and why it’s good for us.
• Super Slurper is the warrior touting cool drinks for kids – water and milk.

Your child will learn what it takes to be a Body Quest warrior. Each of the seven apps includes challenges like getting over fears of trying new foods and more.

For information about the content of each free app go to www.aces.edu/family-health/health-nutrition/bodyquest/iPadApps.php or download them using the search title, Body Quest.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: It’s hard to get my children to choose healthy snacks.

Answer: BUSTED!

What does a traffic light have to do with making healthy food choices? A hospital in Massachusetts set up a traffic light menu system in their cafeteria to help guide consumers to pick healthier options. Green circles were ‘go’ items – pick these items often. Yellow circles were OK choices. Red circles indicated foods you should only have occasionally because of their fat, sugar, sodium or calories.

The hospital also made changes in placement of items. For example, healthier items were placed in the front and at eye level for easier access. And salads and water bottles were made easily available around the cafeteria.

The results? The system worked! They found that healthier food choices persisted 2 years after implementation.

Dr. Thorndike, a physician who implemented the system suggests that this approach could be used at home, too. Fill a drawer or box in the pantry and set up an area in the refrigerator with ‘go’ (green) snacks that your children can choose from whenever they want. Need some ideas for your ‘go’ snacks? For the cupboard, include individual portions of canned fruit in fruit juice, baked chips, pretzels, low-fat graham or animal crackers or reduced-fat popcorn. For the refrigerator, have cut-up veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli or cherry tomatoes, low-fat yogurt or sugar-free or fat-free pudding snacks. Go to extension.missouri.edu/p/N357 for more ideas.

Don’t forget that snack placement also plays a role. Use it to your advantage in your home. Make sure healthy ‘go’ snacks are easy to find. Keep a bowl of fruit in the kitchen and put chips and cookies away in high cupboards and at the back of shelves – out of sight, out of mind.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: It’s OK for my child’s teacher to use candy as a reward in the classroom.

Answer: BUSTED!

It’s likely your child has been rewarded in the classroom with candy. A recent study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that 65-70% of classrooms had no restrictions on the use of candy as a reward. Should you, as a parent, be concerned about your child possibly being rewarded with candy in school?

Well, yes. There’s the obvious concerns: candy is not nutritious, and giving candy runs counter to other nutritious food offered at school. But there are other issues to think about as well. Have you ever eaten something just because its being offered, despite the fact that you weren’t really hungry? Giving candy rewards reinforces the idea that eating isn’t a result of how hungry you feel but whether or not food is available. Setting up this relationship doesn’t help children listen to their hunger cues when food is available. This was something I struggled with for a very long time. I now eat when I’m hungry, not when food is available or when the clock says it’s mealtime.

In fact, some health organizations (American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics) agree that using food as reward is something they don’t support. Read more at http://kyhealthykids.com/2013/02/13/food-as-reward-love-and-valentines-day/

There are many no cost or low cost rewards that schools can use. You can find ideas at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/foodrewards_290201_7.pdf

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: School snacks aren’t a good choice for my child.

Answer: Well maybe …

Many schools have started changing the snacks they make available to students to include healthier choices. New proposed federal rules are now available for comment. Any school that receives federal funding for school meals will have to follow these rules when they go into effect.

The proposed new rules apply to competitive foods or foods that “compete” with school meals and are sold before, during, and up to 30 minutes after the school day ends such as vending, school stores and bars and cafeteria a la carte. What foods don’t have to follow these proposed rules? Food brought from home such as lunches and food for parties. Also, foods sold during non-school hours, weekends, off-campus – concession foods, food sold at sporting events and at school plays, after-school bake sales and fundraisers.

In general, snacks will include more nutritious offerings such as fruit, vegetable, protein, dairy or whole grains, and there will be limits to the amount of calories and sodium, fat and sugar they can contain. What about drinks? Caffeinated beverages will be allowed for high school students. For elementary and middle school students, only drinks with small amounts of naturally occurring caffeine will be allowed. We know that portion sizes are a concern especially because they add extra unnecessary calories and in some cases, sugar to students’ diets. Portion sizes for drinks will be as follows: for elementary students, up to 8 ounces; for middle and high schoolers, up to 12 ounces. Different portion sizes are allowed for calorie-free or lower-calorie drinks. You can find a good question-and-answer about these proposed changes at www.healthyschoolfoodsnow.org/7-questions-about-smart-snacks-in-school-standards/ If you want to make comments about these rules you can find more information at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/legislation/allfoods_flyer.pdf Comments about these proposed standards are due by October 28, 2013.

The rules, if approved, will begin July 2014 with the start of the 2014-2015 school year.


Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933  

Myth: School meals aren’t a good choice for my child.

Answer: BUSTED!

Good nutrition is important to health, especially for children as they grow and develop lifetime habits. Healthy school meals contribute to your child’s academic success, growth and development. A 2012 USDA study found that school lunches were healthier than those in the average child’s diet. School meals supply one-third of the calories, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and E that children need. School meals now have more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These healthy food choices help contribute to the prevention of childhood obesity. If children come to school hungry, it is hard for them to concentrate and be successful in the classroom. Participation in the School Breakfast Program makes healthy foods available to children so that they are ready to learn.

There are other benefits of school meals that you may not know about. School meals expose your child to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables and whole grains. This gives them opportunities to try new fruits or vegetables and other foods they might not have tried. The influence of other children can contribute to the likelihood that children will try new foods. Research suggests that what other children eat at the table influences acceptance of foods. Schools provide health and nutrition classes. Teachers link what is offered in the cafeteria to good health. In a sense, the cafeteria is a “laboratory” for children. They apply what they learned in the classroom as they make healthy food choices when offered school foods.

So, you see, school meals do more than feed children: They contribute to academic success and good health!

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: Fast food is not a healthy choice for my child.

Answer: BUSTED but that depends…

Fast food, like other restaurants, is all about what choices you and your child make. Many options are high in fat, salt and sugar. In an effort to offer healthier foods for children, some fast food restaurants provide kids’ meals. However, Taco Bell just announced that they will begin discontinuing their kids’ meals and toys this month, an effort that will be nationwide by January. It’s the first fast food restaurant to do so. Part of the reason is low sales of these meals.

If you and your child are looking for healthy food choices at the fast food restaurant, here are some tips:

• If the restaurant has kids’ meals, look for ones that include water or fat-free milk instead of soda or juice.
• Ask for meal options that include fresh fruit or veggies as side dishes instead of fries or onion rings.
• Choose ketchup or mustard for sandwich dressings instead of mayonnaise-based dressings.
• Ask for extra toppings like tomatoes and lettuce instead of cheese for sandwiches to keep the fat content down.
• Eat s-l-o-w-l-y. This may be the hardest tip of all especially if your child wants to get to the play area quickly or you have to be somewhere after eating. Eat too fast and your brain doesn’t have time to signal your stomach that you are full.
• Probably the best tip of all…your child watches what you eat so remember that you are a good role model. Make healthy choices when eating out.

Visit the MissouriFamilies website at http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut125.htm for more information about making healthy food choices.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933  

Myth: There aren’t free online games to teach my child about healthy eating.

Answer: BUSTED!

Summer is meant for fun and being outside. But when you need a game for that ride in the car or a rainy day, choose games that continue to build your child’s nutrition knowledge and skills when school is out.

MyPlate Kids’ Place is now available online at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/ and it has plenty to offer! There is a games page where your child can find online games that teach them about making healthy food choices. "Smash Your Food," one of the games on this page, is also a free mobile app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod.

Another online game is "Pick Chow" at http://www.zisboombah.com/pickchow. You choose foods to add to your plate and you see the protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sugar, saturated fat and sodium amounts change as foods are added. Your meal also gets a rating.

Two free mobile apps that can also help your child track what foods they eat are "Max’s Plate" and "Count Your Peas."

Being physically active is also an important part of good health. A free mobile app “Eat-And-Move-O-Matic” shows how to balance the calories from food choices with calories burned in physical activity.

And, parents, you may enjoy playing some of these games too. Play them with your kids so you have a chance to talk about making healthy food choices and being active.

So, this summer let the games begin!

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There isn’t a place to find materials for kids to promote healthy eating.

Answer: BUSTED!

MyPlate Kids’ Place has arrived at www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/. Kids will find games, videos, songs, activity sheets, recipes and tips to help them eat healthier and move more.

• On the games page, your child will find a variety of online games that teach about making healthy food choices. Smash Your Food, one of the games on this page, is also a free mobile app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod.


• The videos (some made by children) promote healthy eating and being physically active, like the Fruit and Veggie Hokey Pokey.


• Under the ‘Move More’ section, your child can find out how to train like an astronaut. You and your child can also find out what it takes to achieve the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award.


• You and your child can find recipes created and tested by kid chefs (recipes are listed under ‘Topics’ on left side of page).


• Parents can find new ways to help kids make healthier food and physical activity choices with a series of short tip sheets. Topics like ‘Be a Healthy Role Model for Children’ and ‘Be an Active Family’ are just two of the tip sheets available. Links to other websites that promote healthy eating are also here too.

So start exploring MyPlate Kids’ Place!

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: I have to give candy to my child for Easter - it's the only option.

Answer: BUSTED!

According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is second only to Halloween for buying candy. And the calories in that candy sure adds up – 1 chocolate egg is 170 calories, 20 regular-sized jelly beans are 160 calories and 20 smaller-sized jelly beans are 80 calories. If you go to the Easter Calorie Calculator at http://walking.about.com/library/cal/bleastercalories.htm you will see how many calories your Easter treats total up to and how many steps or miles you need to walk to burn it off. For example, you will need to walk 10½ miles to burn off one large chocolate bunny.

What about giving your child some treats that are fun and enjoyable but also healthy? Fruits and vegetables can become fun and festive Easter treats. Clementines are small oranges that are seedless, easy to peel and sweet to eat – what child wouldn’t love that treat? Giving out Easter eggs? Fill them with veggies like baby carrots and grape tomatoes or with healthy treats like dried fruit, nuts, pretzels or animal crackers.

Looking for fun non-candy treats this Easter? Dollar stores are a great source for little toys and trinkets to fill up a basket or to put in eggs. Consider stickers, bracelets, crayons, pencil sharpeners and hair bows to take the place of candy. Find some fun, colorful shoelaces. And don’t forget bubbles (they come in colors!) or colorful sidewalk chalk.

For more tips about healthy eating and healthy holiday traditions, go to MissouriFamilies.org.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: Foods sold in school vending machines don’t have to follow the same ‘healthy’ rules as school meals.

Answer: TRUE, but that may change...

On Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, USDA issued proposed guidelines that would mean healthier options in schools – foods lower in fat, sugar and sodium with more of the nutrients kids need. Access to sugary drinks would be limited.

Why is this important? Students get anywhere from about 1/3 to 1/2 of their calories at school.¹ About 40% of all students buy and eat one or more snacks at school and 68% buy and drink at least one sugary drink.¹ The proposed guidelines would cover foods available in school vending machines, "a la carte" lunch lines and any other foods regularly sold around school including snack bars. The proposed rules, if approved and implemented, would not cover in-school fundraisers, bake sales, after-school concessions at school games, food brought from home for classroom celebrations or anything a student brings from home to eat. School meals that are supported by the government wouldn’t follow these new guidelines since they follow other recently updated rules. Individual states and school districts could decide to add additional regulations to go beyond the guidelines.

There will be a 60 day comment period. The guidelines are available at www.federalregister.gov and www.regulations.gov. The standards will not go into effect until at least one full school year after public comment is considered and implementation rules are published.

¹How can healthier school snacks and beverages improve student health and help school budgets? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2013/rwjf72649 accessed Feb. 5, 2013.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: It is okay to put an overweight child on a diet.

Answer: BUSTED!

If your child is overweight, the solution is not to restrict calories. Putting children on restrictive diets or forcing them into intense exercise programs can, in many cases, do more harm than good. Children are rapidly growing and developing their skeletal structure. By choosing to limit calories, some children may not develop their full bone and muscle mass. It is advisable not to put your child on a diet, especially without consulting your doctor. Educating your child to make wise food choices and to increase their physical activity level will help achieve lifelong health and fitness.

Involve kids in food prep & make it fun!

You can help your child to maintain a healthy weight by following these few tips:

• Be active by playing together.
• Make family mealtimes a special time together.
• Save fast food for a treat.
• Serve fruits and vegetables creatively.
• Drink milk with meals and water with snacks.
• Set healthy limits on screen entertainment like television and video games.
• Get kids in the kitchen.

For more information, visit MissouriFamilies.org.

Contributor: Damaris Karanja, MA, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, St. Louis County, University of Missouri Extension, Karanjad@missouri.edu

Myth: Candy is the best and cheapest treat for Halloween.

Answer: BUSTED!

It’s not just the one day of trick or treating that makes parents worry about Halloween treats. It’s that the candy haul sticks around for such a long time. The calories in candy add up fast. Fifteen pieces of candy corn is about 150 calories. A fun size candy bar can have about 2½ teaspoons of sugar. So if you are allowing your child to eat about 2 small pieces of candy a day, they are getting an extra 5 teaspoons of sugar. That’s like giving your child an extra half can of soda each day.

Choose fun (and cheap) non-candy treats* this Halloween. Dollar stores are a great source for these treats. Here are some ideas:

• Stickers
• Bracelets
• Small school supplies like erasers
• Party favors
• Crayons
• Pencil sharpeners
• Hair bows
• Balloons
• Marbles and pens or pencils come in quantities that make for a cheaper treat
• Glow or rubber bracelets can also be purchased in larger amounts so they are not too expensive
• Shoelaces are useful but also colorful and fun – this could be a new idea for a Halloween
• Spider rings are a perennial favorite
• And maybe after you price out all of these items, you might decide that giving out coins is the cheapest and best Halloween treat of all!

*See this link for information about product safety and choking hazards for young children when buying or going through treats at Halloween: http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_product_safety/006367.html

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: My child needs a daily multivitamin to be covered nutritionally.

Answer: BUSTED!

Children who are growing normally do not need multivitamins. Eating a healthy balanced diet can provide all the nutrients most children need. While many young children are picky eaters, that doesn't necessarily mean that they have nutritional deficiencies. Many common foods are fortified with important nutrients, so your child may be getting more vitamins and minerals than you think.

If your child is a finicky eater, encourage (but don’t force) him or her to try a few bites of new, different, nutritious foods at every meal. It’s normal for kids to be introduced to a food 10 or more times before they feel comfortable trying it. Don’t give up after the first or second try! Additional tips can be found at usda.gov.

Talk with your child's doctor if you are concerned about whether your child is getting the recommended level of vitamins and minerals. If your child's doctor recommends a multivitamin, choose one that is designed for your child's age group and doesn't provide more than 100 percent of the Daily Value of vitamins and minerals. In addition, keep multivitamins out of your child's reach and make it clear that they aren't candy.

For more information on feeding young children, visit missourifamilies.org.

Contributor: Damaris Karanja, MA, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, St. Louis County, University of Missouri Extension, Karanjad@missouri.edu

Myth: The changes in the school lunch program were a result of politics.

Answer: BUSTED!

If you have a child attending public school, you have probably heard that school lunches have changed. Starting this year, new rules for school lunches went into effect as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The last update to the lunch standards was more than fifteen years ago.

Why the changes? About 17 percent of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2-19 years (which is 12.5 million children) are obese. This is almost triple the numbers since 1980 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest statistics show that 29 percent of Missouri high school students are overweight or obese compared with 28 percent nationwide. Since 2005, Missouri has moved from ninth to eighth in the country in obesity rates among high school students, as found in a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent years, school meals have been blamed for helping contribute to childhood obesity. How much of this is true is still debatable, but almost everyone agrees something needs to be done to address the problem of childhood obesity. Since the National School Lunch Program is funded by taxpayer dollars it was felt that we should be spending our money on healthy foods.

Where did the new rules come from? The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the requirements for the new school food program based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and recommendations from scientific experts at the Institute of Medicine. Some of the notable changes are:

1. Student meals will have 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetables to count as a complete meal.
2. Meals will have a caloric maximum based on age group.
3. There are limits for how much meat and meat alternatives and grains may be offered.

For more information you can go to the website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/whatsnew.htm.

What are some concerns about the new rules? Complaints about the school lunch rules have been numerous and have included a humorous parody posted on YouTube. These complaints have ranged from not getting enough food to eat, not liking the food offered and being too expensive for school foodservice to manage. On the positive side, the new school lunch rules have encouraged school districts to team up with local chefs to upgrade their menus. The new rules have encouraged the food industry to offer more healthful, tasteful foods. Additionally, the new rules have introduced new healthful food choices to students that have not had that opportunity in the past. In fact, some school districts have reported an increase in meals consumed since the new changes.

What can I do if my child refuses to eat the new school meals? First, ask your child if the problem is with the choice of foods being offered or how the food is prepared. If the problem is with how the food is prepared, contact your school and see if changes can be made. Some school districts have cut back so much on their foodservice that they made need to hire extra help or current workers may need to have more training. If this is the case, there are resources that can help schools. If your child dislikes the food choices of more fruits, vegetables and whole grain products, then you may need to discuss with your child the health benefits of eating these foods.

Any time changes are made to something as personal as our food choices, it causes controversy. The new school meal requirements are no exception. While we may not be happy with some of the food choices, let’s not forget what the new requirements want to achieve. That is healthier children.

For more information about nutrition and health, please contact your local University of Missouri Extension office.

Contributor: Jim Meyer, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Ralls County, University of Missouri Extension, MeyerJE@missouri.edu

Myth: The fiber recommendation is the same for adults as it is for children.

Answer: BUSTED!

Dietary fiber is important for proper bowel function. It can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease and hemorrhoids, and may lower the risk for heart disease and some cancers. The recommended dietary fiber intake for adults generally ranges between 20 to 35 grams per day. Although children benefit from a balance of fiber in their diet, they require less than adults. For children, ages 3 to 18, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that a child's age plus five equals the grams of dietary fiber he or she should eat daily. For example, a 3-year-old needs eight grams of fiber each day.

For infants and children under the age of 2 years, no recommended daily dietary fiber intakes have been established. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests introducing a variety of fruits, vegetables and easily digested cereals, along with adequate fluid levels, as solid foods are introduced into the child's diet.

Keep in mind that sometimes fiber can cause discomfort, so avoid adding too much too quickly. Add fiber gradually and slowly over time. It is important to drink extra liquids, such as water or milk, when increasing dietary fiber.

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are good sources of fiber

Additional nutrition information can be found at: http://missourifamilies.org.

Contributor: Maude Harris, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, harrismau@missouri.edu, 573.545.3516