Kids Get Nearly Half of Their Calories from Junk Food

Many studies on childhood obesity have come out in the past few months, but this one takes the cake — and the soda, and the pizza, and the ice cream, too. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute recently analyzed data on kids' consumption patterns. They found that nearly half (half!) of the calories children consume come from junk food. And folks wonder why almost one-third of the nation's kids weigh in as overweight or obese.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Exam Survey to determine that kids between the ages of two and 18 get about 40 percent of their daily caloric intake from "empty calories," or foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat, but contain little nutritional value.

Of the empty calories kiddies eat, about half of them come from six types of food and beverages: Soda; sugary fruit drinks; grain desserts like cakes, cookies, and donuts; dairy desserts like ice cream; pizza; and whole milk. It's pretty sad that a whopping majority of children's caloric intake comes from drinks and desserts, foods that are side dishes, not actual meals.

Health experts point to a number of causes for these abysmal eating habits, from lack of physical activity to junk food marketing to peer pressure to poor parenting. One factor that consistently gets overlooked (and could actually be easily fixed) is a lack of education. "Nutrition education needs to start in prenatal classes and move through the entire education system," Connie Diekman, director of nutrition at St. Louis' Washington University, told ABCNews.com. "As I work with college students it amazes me, the number who don't know the nutritional value of many foods or even how much of each food group they need." I guess we can't really blame kids for stocking up on pizza, soda, and ice cream if no one ever told them that these foods are bad for you.

While education can't be overlooked as an important tool to combat childhood obesity, experts agree that America's also got to reign in its junk food producers. Manufacturers understand that hooking people while they're young creates loyal consumers, and they've gone hog wild with their ads that hawk unhealthy foods to kids. "I don't see a solution [to childhood obesity] unless we have serious limits on advertising of foods that damage the health and reduce the longevity of today's children," Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, told ABCNews.com.

To that end, you can do your part by supporting San Francisco's proposed ordinance that would require kids' meals to meet certain nutritional requirements in order for restaurants to offer toys. You can bet your extra value meal dollar that children get hooked on Happy Meals and other fast food entrees because of the promise of a shiny, new toy. Sign our petition supporting San Francisco's proposed ordinance, and help get America's kids back into shape.

Photo credit: opencontent via Flickr