Is the childhood obesity epidemic overstated?

Questions are being raised as to whether there is a childhood obesity epidemic 'spiralling out of control' and whether community based preventative strategies to prevent overweight and obesity in children are appropriate. The recent Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey ( Kids Eat Kids Play) found that 17% of children aged 2-16 years were overweight and 6% obese (1).

Fast Food contains too much salt

The Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) has found that  commonly eaten takeaway foods contain too much salt, most in amounts that exceed recommended levels for good health (1). The foods surveyed included  burgers, sandwich style foods, salads, chicken products and fries from  popular food chains such as KFC, Hungry Jack's, Oporto, Red Rooster, Subway and McDonald's.

Should infants be demand weaned?

When to introduce solids can be an emotionally charged subject for both health professionals and parents/carers. While most health professionals follow age recommendations from health authorities, such recommendations may not sit comfortably with a mother who feels her infant is giving her cues that he either needs solids earlier or later than recommended.  Just as demand feeding is now an accepted practice for giving milk feeds, is it now time to recognise and accept the concept of demand weaning?

Sodium to salt conversion

While consumer messages advocate salt reduction for health, health professionals know it is the sodium component of salt, comprising 40%, which needs to be targeted. So  in addition to salt ,other sources of sodium found in the diet such as sodium bicarbonate ( baking powder), monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium ascorbate ( sodium salt of ascorbic acid or Vitamiin C) and other sodium compounds must be considered.