The prevalence of overweight in children ages 6–11 increased from 4.0 percent  in 1971–74 to 17.5 percent in 1999–2004 The prevalence of overweight in adolescents ages 12–19 increased from 6.1 percent to 17.0 percent. (NHANES, NCHS)  More information can be found at www.cdc.gov.

Tips to help reduce or prevent obesity

• Reduce calories from sugary drinks such as pop or juices
• Drink plenty of water…take your weight and divide it by 2.  That number is the amount of ounces of water you should drink a day.
• Consume plenty of fiber from whole grains cereals, fruits, and vegetables.
• Move your body and extra 20-30 minutes a day
• Eat 6 small meals a day that include a protein and a carbohydrate
• Reduce saturated fat in your daily food intake.
• Decrease sucrose (table sugar) in packaged foods
• Watch portion sizes
• Consume oatmeal or eggs in the morning.  The extra protein will satisfy your hunger longer.
• Watch out for hidden calories at fast food places.

Food suggestions

• Replace potato chips with tortilla chips
• Consume plain yogurt with fruit rather than purchasing fruit on the bottom yogurt brands
• Limit the amount of white bread and choose more whole grains.
• In place of fruit juices…consume the whole piece of fruit
• If you don’t like fruit and vegetable add cottage cheese, or peanut butter.  For example, apple and peanut butter.  Cottage cheese and strawberries
• Choose lower fat desserts such as vanilla wafers, ice cream sandwiches, and rice Krispie treats.

Healthy Recipe

• 1 pkg baby artichokes
• 1 can flavored Italian style bread crumbs
• ½ lb grated Romano cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Canola oil

Rinse and dry off artichokes on paper towel, cut off stems, clip off pinchers with scissors.  Use tin foil pie or cake tin to mix 1-2 cups of bread crumbs, ½ cup of grated cheese, salt, and pepper.  Place artichoke in middle of tin and fill with mixture, top with grated cheese.  Repeat process (add more bread crumbs, grated cheese as needed to fill all artichokes.  Take 4-qt pot, cover bottom with water, and add some canola oil and salt to water.  Place artichokes in pot.  Cover, cook on low flame. Baste with water mixture as they cook adding more water to pot if necessary.  Don’t let water cook away.  Cook for 1 hour or until leaf pulls out easily.  Let cool, put in serving dish.  The art of eating artichokes: pull out leaf, scrape off mixture with teeth discard leaf.  When all leaves are gone scrape top of artichoke heart off and eat the heart.  Delicious!