U.S. Children Eating Fewer Calories By Marlene Busko Feb. 22,
2013 -- Here's a flash of hope for the obesity crisis:
Surprising new numbers show that, contrary to common
assumptions, U.S. children are not eating more calories. The
type of food they are eating, however, has changed in recent
years. According to the report from the National Center for
Health Statistics, between 1999-2010, the average daily calorie
intake dropped among American children and teens. At the same
time, their diets shifted to contain slightly more protein and
slightly fewer carbohydrates, while total fat remained the same.
The percentage of calories from saturated fat was still higher
than the level recommended for healthy eating. To identify the
changes in protein, carbohydrates, fat, and total calories in
American children and teens, the researchers looked at data for
boys and girls aged 2 to 19 who were white, African-American, or
Mexican-American. Over this period, the average daily calories
fell by about 7% for boys to 2,100 cal