Laredo nutritionist on keeping your kids health during summer vacations

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - School’s out for summer, and with students taking a break, health officials say it’s important to stay active.

From countless hours of watching TV or playing video games, many kids tend to binge-eat chips, candies and load up on soft drinks.

According to Homero Cantu, a nutritionist from the city of Laredo Health Department, with the extra time comes the extra pounds. Cantu says during summer vacations, kids tend to overeat. Some can consume around 2,000-3,000 calories a day, which is double or triple the recommended amount. This can cause health problems such as obesity and even acanthosis, which is the dark coloring pigmentation on the skin behind the neck.

Cantu recommends kids eat the recommended portions and, most importantly, drink water at all times. “We need the micro- and macronutrients so what does that mean? Well, it means that we can eat a little bit of everything: carbs, protein, fat, and actually the micronutrients can be like vitamins and minerals, of course. You have to be careful about what you want to have for dinner, for example, or protect your breakfast so you have to be careful about that,” Cantu said.

However, if your child continues to binge on junk food, Cantu says there will be more problems in the long run such as hypertension or diabetes. Cantu adds that a good way to stay healthy during the summer is to do some exercise even if it’s indoors to keep you active.

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