The Hazards of Taking Children Out to Eat

Children who frequently eat out score worse on measures of cardiovascular disease risk than those who eat more meals at home, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2005. "As a culture, we say we value physical activity and healthy eating, but in reality we're all about convenience and convenience foods because we have such busy schedules," said study author Karen Olson, R.N., executive director of the Cardiovascular Research and Education Foundation in Wausau, Wis. "We are seeing younger and younger patients with more aggressive cardiovascular disease, and we realized we needed to take a closer look at our young people to see when risk factors emerge and why," she said. "We're concerned because we know that children who have cardiovascular risks grow up to be adults who have these risks." (Stanek, 15)

The project initially included 759 participants, but only 621 completed the diet and exercise surveys. Researchers examined these remaining participants to find out the relationship between the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and eating outside the home. Researchers randomly selected students in the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th grades who participated in the Wausau SCHOOL (School Children Have early Onset Of Leading risk factors for CVD and diabetes) Project, an examination of the development of risk factors for CVD and diabetes. The School project earlier found that 40 percent of the children followed had at least one lipid abnormality. (Stanek, 16)

Twenty-percent of the students (126) indicated that they had eaten out four or more times weekly, not including lunches in the school cafeteria. Compared with the 495 students who ate out less than four times a week, those who dined out often had significantly:

• Higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (Stanek, 19) Systolic blood pressure (the top, ...