By Oana Pop,
Project Weight Loss Editor
August 05, 2008The most recent scientific report about kids and their fast food meals has shown that actually taking your kids at a fast food restaurant implies risking their health. The report put forward by the Center for Science in the Public Interest exemplifies how tragic the situation really is.
"You can hunt around and you will find a few meals that are nutritionally pretty good, but the vast majority of meals are too high in calories, saturated fat, or sodium. They are all made with refined white flour rather than whole wheat flour -- not the kind of meals we ought to be encouraging people to eat.” says Michael Jacobson from the Center for Science.
We find 13 restaurant chains which deal with fast food meals and also 1,474 possible combinations made to satisfy your kid’s appetite. From this large number of possible choices ninety - three percent had more than 430 calories, which represents the average number a child between 4 and 8 years old should eat at a single meal.
The amount of fat contained by every meal should not go over 35 percent of calories and saturated fat and trans fat shouldn`t be over ten percent. Unfortunately, most of the meals contain a lot of fat, sodium and calories, but if you don`t want your kids to have such a meal you should look up a restaurant which offers a healthy children`s meal.
The study shows that most of the meals are too high in animal (saturated) and trans fat and more than eighty five percent were high in sodium. This statistics do not include the drink which comes with the menu. Surprisingly, most food such as burgers, nuggets, macaroni and French fries are coming up with soda as an optional drink.
Almost each restaurant has developed its own policy in attractive new items which come in a kids menu. Therefore, a toy or a new fast food product makes the kids choose that type of meal daily. Eating at fast food restaurants has become a habit for most families and children aren`t aware of the dangerous amount of fat and calories such a meal has.
Taking your kids to a fast food restaurant should become a second option for most!
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