Welcome to Mikaa’s Tiny Kitchen.
Thank you for visiting Mikaa’s Tiny Kitchen. My name is Deb Carnahan, and I am a Health Coach, Mikaa Health LLC, and recently finished a MS in Nutrition Education. I am very interested in helping young individuals eat a healthy and balanced diet and reduce sugar consumption to better their health. I created this site for kids from 9-11 years old to encourage them to learn about sugar and how it affects their bodies. I hope you enjoy learning!
More information
For a little more background on the purpose of this website, the issue of obesity is a global problem, not only for adults but for children as well. According to the World Health Organization, in 2012, close to 44 million (6.7%) of children worldwide five years and under were considered overweight or obese (World Health Organization, 2018). One problem contributing to the issue of childhood obesity is the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). SSBs are a source of additional caloric intake, causing a risk of obesity and the development of chronic diseases (Paglia et al., 2019). So, not only does sugar affect dental health, which we are very much aware of, but sugar also impacts overall health (DeChristopher & Tucker, 2020; Fidler Mis et al., 2017; Gan et al., 2021; Wang, 2018).
During the pivotal ages of 9 – 11 years old, a child starts to make decisions about their health. At this phase in their development, nutrition education targeted at sugar consumption, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other foods with added sugar could have some impact as the child begins to take agency over decisions about their health (Nation’s Voice For Children | American SPCC, 2018). This program will be a jumpstart to educate and provide nutritional information to children about the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages and added sugar on their health and encourage them to limit consumption to reduce the risk of obesity and chronic disease which can begin in childhood. More content, videos, games, and quizzes will be added so kids can continue to challenge their knowledge about sugar and nutrition.
Mission Statement
The mission of this program is to provide nutrition education and resources online for children 9-11 years old about the importance of limiting sugar consumption to better impact long-term health.
Goals
To provide online materials and nutrition education that motivate children to choose healthier food choices and limit sugar-sweetened beverages and foods with added sugar.
To provide nutrition resources to children and parents/caregivers online about sugar consumption, specifically sugar-sweetened beverages, provide alternative healthy food and drink choices, and provide alternatives to improve overall health.
Objectives
Children within the priority population participate in the education resources in the “Roadmap” on the website, including a video, infographics, game, and blog about sugar consumption, and limit their daily sugar consumption to reduce the risk of obesity.
Add content and blogs to the website weekly regarding sugar consumption that are useful resources for children and their families that motivate the consumption of healthy snacks and drinks.
Parents or caregivers of children in the priority population engage and participate in the nutrition resources on the website and prepare and eat more healthy meals at home to reduce the risk of obesity and other health risks.
References
DeChristopher, L. R., & Tucker, K. L. (2020). Excess free fructose, apple juice, high fructose corn syrup and childhood asthma risk – the National Children’s Study. Nutrition Journal, 19(1), NA–NA. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00578-0
Fidler Mis, N., Braegger, C., Bronsky, J., Campoy, C., Domellöf, M., Embleton, N. D., Hojsak, I., Hulst, J., Indrio, F., Lapillonne, A., Mihatsch, W., Molgaard, C., Vora, R., & Fewtrell, M. (2017). Sugar in Infants, Children and Adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 65(6), 681–696. https://doi.org/10.1097/mpg.0000000000001733
Gan, Q., Xu, P., Yang, T., Cao, W., Xu, J., Li, L., Pan, H., Zhao, W., & Zhang, Q. (2021). Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Status and Its Association with Childhood Obesity among Chinese Children Aged 6–17 Years. Nutrients, 13(7), 2211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072211
Nation’s Voice For Children | American SPCC. (2018). American SPCC. https://americanspcc.org/
Paglia, L., Fruili, S., Colombo, S., & Paglia, M. (2019). The effect of added sugars on children’s health outcomes: Obesity,. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AHDA) and Chronic Disease. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 20/2-2019. https://doi.org/10.23804/ejpd.2019.02.09
Wang, G.-J. (2018). Impact of sugar on the body brain and behavior. Frontiers in Bioscience, 23(12), 2255–2266. https://doi.org/10.2741/4704
World Health Organization. (2018). World Health Organization. Who.int; World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/