When the first car pulled into the first McDonald’s drive-thru, the parents were not thinking about food pyramids, trans fats, or insulin resistance. They wanted to eat a burger and fries sans seat belt and wash it down with a Coke—a real Coke.
Today’s parents understand the consequences of diet on development. And society, as evidenced by the crusades for better school lunches and soda bans, is also fighting the good fight.
Parental and societal concerns are justified. The food industry is evil and creates addiction by adding unnecessary salt and sugar to their products. Their bottom line is profits, not the health of kids.
The bombardment of nutritional information begins with pregnancy. During the first visit to the OBGYN, you’ll notice the decorative theme of the waiting room: dietary dos and don’ts. The first exam will include a pregnancy nutritional lecture, and your parting gift will be a stash of dietary literature. The mantra is, “Your baby is what you eat!”
There’s merit to the mantra. Teratogens, which literally means “little monsters,” are agents or substances that can adversely affect prenatal development. Two of the most prominent monsters are cigarettes and alcohol.
The list of potential teratogens is extensive and should, in most cases, be avoided at all costs. However, it’s not a simple black-and-white decisional flow chart.
Consider alcohol. After scientists identified fetal alcohol syndrome, the party line became alcohol and pregnancy don’t mix. Today, many physicians don’t push total abstinence and tell expecting moms it’s cool to drink the occasional Merlot. Glass, not bottle, though.
Cutting expecting moms some nutritional slack is also Mental Health 101. If a mom-to-be craves a Ho Ho, she should be allowed the momentary bliss. Even if that Ho Ho is cuddled by a quart of Häagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, a pregnant woman should eat guilt-free. She shouldn’t have to wonder whether a Ho Ho or a box of Ho Ho’s will prevent her kid from attending college.
Given the nutritional red flags associated with pregnancy, it’s understandable that some parents leap over the moderation line into OCD territory. But there’s a thin line between reasonable nutritional monitoring and Food Fascism.
If the label bothers you, I’m sorry. I’m sure any angst I caused by name-calling can be comforted with a lovely Merlot. Glass, not bottle, though.
