FN moms, are you paying attention to what your teenagers are eating? Do you know what they're having for lunch or what they're ordering when out with friends? While you don't have to monitor every morsel your kids eat, it can't hurt to ask them about their eating habits every now and then, especially since a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association is crediting fiber-rich foods for the prevention of certain health conditions.
According to the researchers, teenagers who consume a lot of fiber-rich foods lower their chances of getting diabetes and having heart problems. Examining 2,000 U.S. teens aged 12 to 19, the study authors aimed to find out whether any of the teenagers had conditions that make up what the researchers call a metabolic syndrome (large waistline, high blood pressure, elevated levels of sugar in the blood, and low levels of good cholesterol) and just how their diet contributes to the outcome.
Results revealed that six percent of teens were viable candidates for metabolic syndrome. Of those who ate less than three grams per 1,000 calories, nine percent had the said risk factors. Meanwhile, those who consumed the most fiber were only three percent at risk.
The study though is mostly centered on the relationship between fiber and the prevention of diabetes and heart problems. No link was found connecting the amount of fat teenagers are consuming on a daily basis and these health conditions. However, Joe Carlson, Head of the Division of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition at Michigan State University in East Lansing, warns that this doesn't give people a free pass to eat as many fatty foods as they want. According to him, eating too much saturated fat or transfat is still not good for you as they tend to increase the bad cholesterol in the body.
For more on fiber-rich foods, read this article on FN:
If you need more ideas for healthy foods for the family, try these:
- Healthy Options: 10 Substitutes for High-Carb Foods
- Tipid Tips: 5 Low-Cost Healthy Foods
- 15 Healthy Foods That Help Reduce Stress
- Hold the Salt: Yummy Low-Salt Recipes for the Health-Conscious
- 22 Yummy Heart-Healthy Recipes
- 20 Meat-Free Recipes Perfect For Lent
(Photo by TheCulinaryGeek via Flickr Creative Commons)
