News for Healthier Living U.S. Kids Consuming Fewer Calories,
Report Finds THURSDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Finally, some
good news in the war on childhood obesity: Kids in the United
States now consume fewer calories each day than they did 12
years ago, according to a new government report. Even better,
between 1999 and 2010, most boys and girls between 2 and 19
years old began getting more of their daily calories from
muscle-building proteins and fewer from carbohydrates, which can
easily spur weight gain when eaten to excess, the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention report found. The findings,
based on dietary data obtained from the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey, suggest a step in the right
direction for a nation where 17 percent of all children and
adolescents are obese. Excess weight in childhood is linked to a
host of health problems later in life, including heart disease
and diabetes. "This certainly reflects an improvement in food
and drink-related decisions," said R