Fast Food and Kids

Fast food is convenient, fast, and fun but is it healthy? The rise in families substituting a trip to McDonald’s, Wendy’s or Burger King for a family meal at home is very common these days. Children are involved in so many activities that parents find themselves stopping for a fast meal between ball games and dance lessons. The drive-thru has become standard and eating in the family car on the run is “normal”.

How can you make the most out of a fast food meal or any restaurant meal? Good news is many restaurants are adding healthier menu options. Keep in mind portion control, no super sizing, high fat and calorie sauces and dressings (eliminate them or take them on the side and use sparingly) and sodas (drink water or low fat milk).

The difference at McDonald’s from small to super size is amazing. Take french fries a small is 210 calories, medium is 450 calories, and super is 610 calories! The difference in a small soda, 16oz is 150 calories vs super size soda 42oz is 410 calories. A regular hamburger is 280 calories and cheeseburger is 330 compare to a Big Mac 580 or Double with cheese is 760 calories. McNuggets (kids favorite) 4pcs is 210 and 6pcs is 310. This is not exactly “healthy” food but it can save several calories in just choosing the right portion size.

Over a year’s time, a child can pack on 6 extra pounds because of high fast food consumption. Researchers have found that on a typical day:

• 30% of children ate fast food
• Fast food was the main food source for 29 to 38% of children
• Among 4-8 year olds, those who ate fast food ate 6% more food than kids who didn’t eat fast food.
• 10- 14 year old fast food eaters ate 17% more than other kids
• On average, fast food eaters ate 15% more calories than other kids.

Fast food seemed to contribute an additional 57 calories a day to the average child’s diet. At that rate, the child would gain 6 pounds each year—if they didn’t get enough exercise to help burn off the calories.

Television confines children and teens to the couch, burns no calories, and bombards children with a constant stream of ads for soda, hamburgers, and snack food. Currently, Illinois is the only state requiring daily physical education classes.

What is required is a change in life style. Choose portion sizes wisely, pick healthier food choices when eating out, and get kids involved in more physical activities.

By Sandy Heffern RN
Nurse Consultant
Child Care Resource & Referral - SDA 10