These days, junk food is ubiquitous, portions are mammoth, and companies are marketing their products to children.

If "you are what you eat," do parents want their children to be super size French fries at McDonalds; king size candy bars; stuffed crust pizza; or sugar-sweetened cereal?

With approximately 844,000 fast food eateries nationwide, up from 491,000 in 1972, it's clear more people are craving convenience and value. This growth in fast food restaurants has been driven by life style: more families have high incomes and can afford to eat out. In addition to the high-fat, high-calorie food choices, portions have changed, too. People buy larger sizes because they perceive them as a value.

According to the USDA, per capita soft-drink consumption has increased by almost 500 percent in the past 50 years. Half of all Americans and most adolescents consume soft drinks daily. Teenagers who drink more soda than milk run the risk of developing osteoporosis. Nutritionists remind parents that soda should be considered a "treat," just like candy, ice cream, cookies, and cake, not a mainstay of children's daily nutritional intake.

If your children's diet could stand some improvement, consider some of the following changes.

The article above was excerpted from "Attack of the Junk Food Giant: Giving children and teens a taste for nutrition in an age of super size portions and junk food," which appeared in the October 2001 issue of "Our Children" magazine.

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http://www.pta.org/cfplus/OurChildren/features4.asp
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