Study shows kids eat more calories in postgame snacks than they expend on the field

Steve Harris has coached his eldest daughter, Kaitlyn Harris, since she was in preschool. She now plays on an all-star competitive team. (Greg Anderson, KSL-TV)

KAYSVILLE – A BYU study shows that children eat more calories in post-game snacks than they burn during actual game. With a 19% childhood obesity rate in the United States, nutritionists are concerned. A Utah father and trainer puts health first in the field.

Kaysville-based Steve Harris loves his kids and his sports, which makes him the perfect coach for all four of his kids’ teams – soccer, basketball and baseball. He says they made many memories together over the years. “I wanted my children to grow up with the words: ‘Yes, dad was there. He was busy with us, had fun with us, did sports,'” he said.

He is also a fifth grade teacher. “I see children getting unhealthy snacks all the time,” said Harris. “Children bring snacks for birthdays, treats, whatever.”

Harris and his wife, who is a nurse, decided the soccer field no longer needed candy. “We have two or three games a week, you know, so when they have these unhealthy snacks, that’s two or three times a week … they get them,” he said.

So he implemented “the half-time fruit”.

“(It) gives them some natural sugar so they have more energy for the second half of the game because they’ll be tired by then,” he said.

Intermountain Healthcare Pediatric Nutritionist Tara Finnerty says feeding athletes goodies is counterproductive. “We negate these benefits by offering high sugar and processed foods; they are loaded with calories that are really unnecessary, ”she said.

Opt for whole foods and water instead, encourages them. “You can get the same benefits from oranges, apples, and bananas, maybe some higher protein foods like peanut butter and yogurt, cheese spread, hummus with vegetables, and even airborne popcorn,” she said.

A recent study by the American Journal of Health Behavior found that children, on average, only have 27 minutes of physical activity per game. Finnerty argues that they just don’t work out long enough to add the extra calories. “You use far more calories in these physical activities than you actually burn,” she said.

For example, she says that most 20-ounce sports drinks contain about a quarter of a cup of sugar.

While Finnerty says parents don’t have to count their children’s calories, they can still be mindful. “Children grow. We need to energize their bodies in healthy ways, ”she said, developing healthy habits while they are young.

“We have to nourish their bodies, not just give them that endless supply of sugary calories or empty calories,” she says.

She encourages people to look at how often they consume these foods and find out where to swap the goodies for healthier alternatives.

“The special occasions become daily occurrences,” she said. “And the next day it’s the family barbecue and the next day it’s a holiday … and pretty soon we will be using food for every event, good or bad.”

Harris says his teams respond well to the adjustment. “Parents loved it. They think it’s a great idea because it promotes healthy eating, ”he said.

“It was just the expectation like we do,” said Harris. “Really, I’ve found that children are happy as long as they get something.”

Harris is already committed to coaching all of his kids’ teams again next year.

“Oh, it’s for the best. That’s what life is about – watching your kids grow up, having fun and then combining that with exercise … it’s a win-win situation for me, “he said.

US Nutritional Guidelines recommend that children under the age of two not consume any foods or beverages with added sugar. Finnerty suggests limiting added sugar intake for all children in general. “It’s really addicting and so they just get those persistent sweet tooth,” she said.

She says this will help prevent long-term obesity-related diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, cancer, and even dementia.

Finnerty also says when children eat unhealthy foods it can spoil their pre-dinner appetites and prevent them from getting the nutrients they need. “It really affects your appetite to have healthier foods with meals,” she said.

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source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/study-shows-kids-eat-more-calories-in-postgame-snacks-than-they-expend-on-the-field/