Dieting parents may be risking their children's health

    TORONTO, Jan. 5 /CNW/ - Low-carbohydrate diets discourage eating foods
like potatoes, which provide essential nutrients including carbohydrates,
iron, potassium, B vitamins and vitamin C. These are essential to healthy
development in children.
    Toronto dietitian Lois Ferguson says restricting certain food groups in a
family's diet could put kids' health at risk. "Children require different
vitamins and nutrients than their parents do," Ferguson says. "Eliminating
foods like starchy vegetables from kids' diets also eliminates many of the
nutrients they need for normal growth and development." According to the
Fraser Institute, 80 per cent of Canadian children don't consume the
recommended five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
    Canada's Food Guide maintains that potatoes provide complex carbohydrates
that supply energy to the muscles of the body and to the brain. Ferguson
agrees. "Unpeeled potatoes are a source of dietary fibre, a good source of
vitamin C and contain other vitamins and nutrients that we all need," she
says.
    Ferguson, a registered dietitian and author of the best-selling book,
Eating for Energy and Ecstasy, knows parents are the biggest influence on
their children's healthy eating habits and attitudes towards food. "Potatoes
can be made into many fun, kid-friendly recipes and cooking is a good way to
spend quality time with your kids," she suggests. Ferguson says supplying
children with the tools to make healthy choices now will help them continue to
make healthy choices throughout their lives.
    "A healthy diet includes eating foods from all the food groups in
moderation," Ferguson says. "Also important with a healthy, active lifestyle.
This is why I support the Kids and Carbs initiative."

    Kids and Carbs, supported by potato boards across Canada, is reminding
parents of the nutritional value of potatoes and their importance in
children's diets. As part of the Kids and Carbs awareness campaign, inserts
entitled Kids and Carbs: Facts vs. Fiction, were distributed in three
consecutive Canadian Living and Homemaker's magazines in late 2004.           
Ontario-based Ferguson will reinforce the message in her multi-city Canadian
media tour. Her availability for interviews in Ontario is flexible.


    BACKGROUNDER:
    -------------

                           Kids and Carbs Campaign

    What is the Kids and Carbs campaign?
    The intent of the Kids and Carbs campaign is to separate the facts from
the fiction surrounding carbohydrates. The campaign is directed at adults on
food-group-restricting diets who might unknowingly be putting their children
at risk by eliminating specific food groups - like carbohydrates - from family
meals. Kids and Carbs aims to educate parents about how their nutritional
requirements differ from their children's, so they can prepare healthy,
balanced meals for them.

    Who is behind Kids and Carbs?
    The potato grower organizations of Canada are sponsoring Kids and Carbs
to dispel the misconceptions people have about carbohydrates, in particular -
potatoes.
    Toronto dietitian, best-selling author and media personality Lois
Ferguson, has endorsed the campaign because she believes children need more
nutrients for normal growth and development than adults do. Canada's Food
Guide maintains that potatoes provide complex carbohydrates that supply energy
to the muscles of the body and to the brain. The Food Guide places potatoes
among the leading vegetables in providing valuable energy to children.

    What does Kids and Carbs hope to accomplish?
    Children say their parents are their biggest influence for healthy eating
habits, activities and attitudes towards food. By not serving carbohydrates,
like potatoes, parents give kids the message that they are bad for your
health. The Food Guide stresses that moderate eating of foods from all the
food groups, combined with an active lifestyle, will give kids the foundation
for lifelong healthy living.

    Where will we see Kids and Carbs?
    The multi-faceted Kids and Carbs campaign began with information inserts
entitled Kids and Carbs: Fact vs. Fiction ( No. 1, 2 and 3), in the October,
November and December editions of Canadian Living and Homemakers, As well,
Kids and Carbs includes recipe promotions distributed in communities by
various potato organizations in Canada; and a nation-wide food bank donation.
Kids and Carbs advocate Lois Ferguson, will go on a multi-city Canadian media
tour to talk about dietary considerations for children in an era of multiple
food-group-restricting diets.

    Where can we get the recipes?
    Lois will bring printed copies of the recipes with her to media
interviews. Or you can receive recipes by emailing:
recipes@healthypotatoes.com.


    FACT AND FIGURES:

    Potatoes: Did you know?

    -  Unpeeled potatoes contain iron and potassium.

    -  Potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6 and are high in vitamin C.

    -  Carbohydrates, which are sugars and starches, provide energy to the
       cells of the body, particularly the brain.

    -  Canada's Food Guide recommends Canadians eat more complex
       carbohydrates to get food energy.

    -  One medium-sized potato contains as much fibre as a 1/2 cup of cooked
       oat bran.

    -  Potatoes are the No. 1 vegetable consumed by Canadians.

    Kids and Nutrition

    -  According to the Fraser Institute, 80% of Canadian children do not eat
       the recommended 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

    -  Children require a balanced diet, including foods from all four major
       food groups. This includes starchy vegetables such as potatoes.

    -  According to Canada's Food Guide, among children, potatoes are a
       favourite vegetable source of carbohydrates, which supplies energy and
       assists in the utilization of fats.

    -  Less processed carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat bread,
       pasta; high-fibre (low sugar) cereals and unpeeled potatoes have more
       fibre and nutrients that are important for growth in children.

    -  There are healthy ways to help kids lose weight; but restricting their
       intake of carbohydrates puts them at risk.

    Carbohydrates are important for health

    -  A diet sufficiently low in carbohydrates may result in bone mineral
       loss, high blood cholesterol, an increased risk of kidney stones and
       urinary tract deposits.


    BIOGRAPHY:
    ----------

                             Lois Ferguson, R.D.

    Lois Ferguson is a registered dietitian, professional speaker and author
of the best-selling book Eating for Energy and Ecstasy. She is owner of Malibu
Consulting, established in 1972. Malibu provides consulting services to the
food industry.
    Lois works with and speaks to groups including food manufacturers,
marketing boards, government departments and agencies, women's groups and the
general public. She is a frequent presenter at the Canadian National
Exhibition and Royal Winter Fair.
    In her media career Lois has a regular segment on Daytime Toronto, a
daytime TV program in the Greater Toronto Area, is part of the We're Talking
Homemade show on Prime TV and is a regular contributor to a number of other
food/nutrition media, including CITY-TV's Breakfast Television.
    Lois has held positions as Director of Communications for the Grocery
Products Manufacturers of Canada, Director of Consumer Services at Best Foods
Canada Inc. and Nutrition Specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of
Household Sciences, specializing in foods and nutrition.


For further information: or to book an interview with Lois Ferguson, 
contact: Anne Georg, (403) 244-3473, ageorg@shaw.ca

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