Many of you have likely seen the new inverted food pyramid published recently by the Department of Health and Human Services. If you haven’t seen it, it looks like this: Copy of the new, inverted food pyramid per the USDA, compared to an old pyramid below. Note the inversion where grains were the base with the most servings but now are minimized. I will highlight the positives and negatives, particularly in relation to children.  First, the positives. The emphasis is on whole

Dangerous diet trends in teens  are spreading faster than ever through social media. It is no secret that adolescents and teens are influenced by social media. Many influencers have no expertise in the subject matter they endorse. This is vastly true when it comes to dieting and eating habits promoted by individuals with no medical or dietary background, many of whom are thin young women, promoting potentially harmful eating habits with no scientific basis. Teen girls on soci

Children eating a plant-based meal. There are many variations of eating: Vegetarian: excludes animals Vegan: excludes animals, dairy, and eggs Lacto-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk and milk products Ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes eggs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk, milk products, and eggs Pescatarian: excludes meat and poultry but includes fish, milk, milk products, and e

The dangers of raw unpasteurized milk children  should never be given is a warning every parent needs to hear. I read a newspaper article last month regarding raw, unpasteurized milk and its potential benefits, but that it also can contain the bird flu virus. As a pediatrician, I wish to warn parents regarding unpasteurized products, whether milk, cheeses, or juices. Raw milk can come from cows, goats, sheep, or buffalo. Pasteurizing extends the freshness and shelf-life of m

Child with a plate of plant-based foods Since I ran this post last October, I am publishing it again as it reviews vegetarian eating for children. There are many variations of eating: Vegetarian: excludes animals Vegan: excludes animals, dairy, and eggs Lacto-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk and milk products Ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes eggs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk

I am continuing with my “diet evaluation” month for children, and this week is the vegan diet. Let’s first define vegan since it can be confused with vegetarian. Infant in high chair filled with plant-based, vegan foods. A vegetarian does not consume any animals - meat, seafood, poultry, pork- no animal flesh, but can consume some animal products such as milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. Vegans do not consume animals or any products from animals, such as dairy, and thus are fur

Last week I reviewed the paleo diet and this week the keto diet. These are somewhat similar diets, both being low carb and high fat, but there are differences that I will explore. The ketogenic or keto diet has been around for over a century and was developed for children with hard to control seizures before anti-seizure meds were available. This very high-fat diet seems to benefit some children in this category. The keto diet is somewhat similar to the Atkins diet, which is

This month I will look into various popular diets and whether they are child-appropriate. Most diets are developed for adults - whether for weight loss or a specific condition like heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes. They are not typically evaluated for children. The dietary pattern a parent chooses to follow is not necessarily appropriate or safe for a child. Children are not small adults. They have their own set of requirements for good health and nutrition. Childhood