U.S. kids consuming fewer calories, report finds

The government recently released a report announcing that U.S. kids now consume fewer daily calories than they did 12 years ago.

Finally, some good news in the war on childhood obesity: Kids in the United States now consume fewer calories each day than they did 12 years ago, according to a new government report.

Even better, between 1999 and 2010, most boys and girls between 2 and 19 years old began getting more of their daily calories from muscle-building proteins and fewer from carbohydrates, which can easily spur weight gain when eaten to excess, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found.

The findings, based on dietary data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, suggest a step in the right direction for a nation where 17 percent of all children and adolescents are obese. Excess weight in childhood is linked to a host of health problems later in life, including heart disease and diabetes.

"This certainly reflects an improvement in food and drink-related decisions," said Rebecca Solomon, coordinator of clinical nutrition at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

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