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Health Officials Say Monitor Kid's Candy Intake.

Oct. 25, 2011 | WMFE - Halloween is to candy loving kids what New Year's Eve is to booze swigging grown-ups. The Florida Department of Health has some tips for the Halloween holiday but it may be a tough sell for trick-or-treating kids. The state's health leaders are urging moderation.


The Florida Department of Health is encouraging parents to teach their children to go easy on the sweet treats and save some for another day.
Betsy Wood is the chief of Florida’s Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention. Wood says a healthy and varied diet is what’s truly important and she says that can include an occasional piece of candy.
 “A moderate amount of even unhealthy things like candy is not going to throw somebody into diabetes or make them overweight or obese.” Wood says.

But she advises parents to use Halloween as an opportunity to teach their kids moderation. She advises letting them pick out a few pieces to eat right away and saving the rest for later. A good rule of thumb, Wood says, is to let a kid eat as many pieces of candy as half their age, so a 6-year-old might be allowed to have 3 pieces of candy and an 8-year-old would be allowed 4 pieces.

 

 

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