Hello, I am Jameson Neseralla, a sophomore at Avon High School. I have been playing soccer since before kindergarten, and have been playing for Avon ever since I moved here in the sixth grade. I currently play on both the Boys U19 team and the Avon High School team, and I am also involved as a referee.

For part of my Civics course at school, we are required to do a Civic Virtue Project. The first part of this involved writing an essay on a research topic, childhood obesity in my case. The second part of this requires us to invoke positive change in the community by spreading awareness of the issue.

Being active is a huge step towards fighting childhood obesity, and as soccer players, getting the 60 minutes of daily recommended exercise is probably not a big problem for your child. However, eating right is also a major contributor towards staying fit. Leading a healthier lifestyle by eating better does not have to mean completely rethinking what you eat. Making small substitutions can go a long way. A great place to start making these changes is at the soccer field. I know that when running to and from games, it is often easy to pack a bag of chips or cookies, or buy a few hotdogs from a vendor to feed your kids. We all know that bringing along healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, or whole grain products is the healthiest choice, however, packing these items is not always realistic. That is why it is important to begin to focus on making changes by choosing healthier foods, not necessarily the healthiest foods.

A great guide to help you with some easy choices, and to provide insight into the foods your child may prefer to eat is Eat This, Not That – For Kids by David Zinchenko. The book, one in a series, outlines simple "food swaps" that are both practical and worthwhile to make. It can serve as a guide for making better choices in almost every situation where food is involved, from family dinners, to eating out; from vending machines to fast food. Surprisingly, sometimes the choices we make in an attempt to eat healthier may not be the correct one! Other times, we may underestimate nutritional differences between foods. Up-to-date health information and additional ideas can also be found online at http://eatthis.com

Below are some examples of the easy and effective food swaps that can be made during soccer season and beyond, to ensure that your child is eating healthier. Remember - every bit counts in the ongoing effort to reduce your child’s consumption of fat, sodium and empty calories.

Hotdog Vendor

Chips

Sports Drinks

Crackers

Cookies

Candy

I hope that you found this information to be interesting and informative. Choosing a healthier lifestyle now is a key step towards ensuring a better life down the road for your child. Any comments or responses are greatly appreciated, as this is a school project. Please email me at jneseralla@comcast.net.

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www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_557057.html