Are children in your family at risk for diabetes?

It hasn't been too long since Type II diabetes was so rare in children that it was known as "adult on-set diabetes." Unfortunately, this terrible disease no longer discriminates against children.

According to Dr. Siripoom McKay, in the 1980s only about 5 percent of children and teens diagnosed with diabetes at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston had Type II diabetes. Today, that number has increased more than five-fold.

Why has there been this increase? The rise in childhood diabetes can be directly correlated to the increase in childhood weight. Blame that one on the typical American lifestyle, which includes too few fruits and vegetables, too much fat and sugar, and little or no daily exercise.

According to a report in 2005 by the Centers for Disease Control, the average fruit intake among all persons age 2 and over was less that one cup fruit and only slightly more than 1 1/2 cups vegetables. This is far below the recommended amounts for good nutrition.

Marilyn May, CFCS, is the Lampasas County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. She can be reached at MMay@ag.tamu.edu or P.O. Box 231, Lampasas, TX 76550; phone 512-556- 8271, ext. 140. Adults need to eat a minimum of five cups of fruits and vegetables every day. The recommendation is increased to as many as nine cups for athletes and other adults who have high calorie requirements. Children ages 6 to 11 need to eat 2 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables every day.

How much sugar does your child eat every day? You might be surprised!

In the 1800s when sugar was not so readily available and Americans ate homecooked meals, each person averaged eating about two pounds of sugar per year.

By 1970, we were eating almost 125 pounds of added sugar per person per year. That amount has continued to increase -- along with our waistbands -- and now we are consuming an average of more than 150 pounds of sugar every year. That is three pounds of sugar per person -- every week.

"My Pyramid" (mypyramid.gov) was designed to guide individuals in meal planning to ensure their complete nutrition. Discretionary calories, which include foods with added sugars, are intended to be added only after all the other food group recommendations have been met.

The average person who is consuming three pounds of sugar a week -- that's almost 650 calories every day -- is either gaining weight or replacing healthy food choices with sugar. Most likely, both are happening.

The greatest single source of sugar in the diet (in the form of high-fructose corn syrup) is soft drinks.

In 2003, the average amount of soft drink consumed per person was 52 gallons per year -- the equivalent of 555 12-ounce cans.

If you want to cut some grocery costs, here is a good place to do it. Figure 75 cents per can for $416 per person that could be trimmed from your budget, and a few inches you could trim from your waist.

The sugar content of soft drinks (and other sweetened beverages) is only one of the problems with them. They have replaced healthier beverage choices. While soft drink consumption has risen 300 percent over the last 20 years, milk intake has dropped 40 percent.

Drinking a lot of soft drinks can increase the risk of osteoporosis (especially if they replace milk in the diet). Drinking them between meals and sipping on one throughout the day increases tooth decay. And they have no nutritional value.

Following are some tips to improve your children's diets:

• Never give soft drinks or other sugar-sweetened beverages to babies or toddlers.

• Sweets, desserts and salty snacks should be occasional foods, not daily treats.

• Never serve soft drinks with meals.

• Never give food as rewards.

• Think of soft drinks as "liquid candy." Would you serve a candy bar with a meal, or let your child have a candy bar once or twice a day?

• Keep fresh fruits and vegetables washed and cut up in the refrigerator so children will have easy access to healthy snacks.

• Don't buy soft drinks, cookies, chips and other high-calorie snack foods. If they are not in the house, your children can't eat them.

Remember that parents are children's best role models. Do what you want them to learn and do.

4-H teaches good nutrition

The food and nutrition project is the most popular 4-H project state-wide, and it is getting under way in Lampasas County. 4-H members learn about "My Pyramid" for their age groups, functions of nutrients, food safety, food preparation and food buying.

Participants in the project have the opportunity to compete in the annual County 4-H Food Show and also the 4-H Nutrition Quiz Bowl.

4-H is open to all youth ages 9 (or 8 and in the third grade) through age 18.

To enroll in 4-H and get involved in this and other projects, visit lampasas-tx.tamu.edu. Click on 4-H and Youth Development then on 4-H Connect.

After enrolling, contact the Lampasas County Extension office and speak with Jason Byrd, Mary Kemper or Marilyn May about local club meeting times and locations.

Those who don't have access to a computer may also pick up an enrollment form in the Extension office.

4-H offers many opportunities for young people to develop leadership and life skills, so enroll your kids today.