Most of us know that vitamin D is crucial to bone health, but now it's been shown that insufficient levels can cause or increase the risk of developing a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Recent studies report that about 70% kids in the United States have low vitamin D levels.

Portion sizes began to increase in the 1980s and have been skyrocketing ever since. Our perception of portions has become so distorted over time that, research shows, it's hard for us to recognize what a normal portion looks like.

Take bagels, for example. Twenty years ago, the average bagel had a 3-inch diameter and 140 calories. Today, bagels have a 6-inch diameter and 350 calories. Eat one and you've just consumed three servings of grains — that's half the recommended number of grain servings for the entire day.

In fact, we've become so desensitized to "big food" that we don't bat an eye when restaurants offer us things like neverending pasta bowls, bottomless fries, or 52-ounce mugs of soda. And we don't think it's strange that, in some cafes, we can't even order a "small" anymore — just variations of big, bigger, and biggest. No wonder car manufacturers had to start building bigger cup holders!

Try these snacks for your kids that are peanut and egg free!!

Shortly after Ben began eating his lunch, his childcare provider noticed he seemed to be trying to scratch an itch in his mouth. After he vomited and began wheezing, the care provider sought medical treatment for Ben, who was later diagnosed with a food allergy, in this case to peanuts.

"Don't eat between meals." "Don't touch that cookie -- you'll spoil your dinner!" "Snacking will make you gain weight. Chances are, you've said something similar to your children or maybe heard it from your own mom. But experts say that snacking on the right foods is not harmful. In fact, it can have health benefits for kids of all ages.

Summer is here, the weather's warming up, and everyone's dying to spend some time outside. But how do you make it through a full day in the great outdoors without resorting to beachside hot dog vendors, an easy bag of chips, or a quick trip to a fast-food joint? A healthy picnic lunch is a great - and surprisingly simple - solution.

More and more American children are overweight and over fat. Not only do they have difficulty fitting into an ideal size, they are at an increased risk for poor health and a future of chronic disease. The reasons children develop weight problems is multi-faceted. For some, it’s genetics others it’s environmental. Often, however, it’s a combination of the two. The bottom line is these children are taking in too many calories from the food they eat and expending too few calories through physical activity.

Finding a healthy snack for kids may seem like finding a needle in a sugarcoated haystack, but experts say a few simple tricks can help parents sort through the hype.

Some snacks can be a fun special treat but most should provide some nutrition. This list may provide you with some helpful suggestions: