Offering healthier snack options may help fight childhood obesity in the U_S_

The childhood obesity crisis in the United States is prompting programs such as NFL Play 60 and Lets Move! to help fight the trend, which stems from the possibility of fewer daily physical activities and more unhealthy snack options. Even though parents can be vigilant about what their kids eat, many times it is a combination of factors throughout the day that play a role in unhealthy food choices.

According to researchers at Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab - an interdisciplinary group of faculty members - certain types of snacks over others can make children feel full, which can mean a reduced amount of calories consumed. Among its many accomplishments, the lab has created the Smarter Lunchrooms initiative, which provides resources to school cafeterias across the country.

Getting full from healthy alternatives
The study recruited 201 students in the third through sixth grades, and analyzed their overall fullness after eating different types of snacks. The young participants were either given potato chips, a helping of vegetables, a plate of cheese or a combination of both cheese and vegetables. Throughout the experiment, researchers assessed the children's fullness through a series of questions, posed before the food was eaten, and after they had watched two cartoon episodes.

Based on the study's findings, children who consumed the plate containing vegetables and cheese needed overall fewer calories to become full than those who ate the potato chips. For participants defined as overweight or obese, snacking on the combination plate lowered their calorie intake by 76 percent, while the other children averaged a 60 percent reduction.

Risks of childhood obesity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that obesity is partially the result of a caloric imbalance, which means that too few calories are being expended in physical activity for the amount consumed. Health effects for obese youth include risk factors for cardiovascular disease, similar to the conditions that those who may buy Lipitor from a Canadian online pharmacy are trying to prevent.

To combat the obesity crisis, schools and parents can provide more nutritious snack options such as substituting unhealthier items like potato chips, noted the study.