The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood
by William Sears, M.D., Martha Sears, R.N., James Sears, M.D., and Robert Sears, M.D.
Published by Little Brown
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Reviewed by Yuka Mizushima
Dr. Bill (William Sears) got the inspiration for this book when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He decided to change his lifestyle and eating habits. He learned that the same nutrition that cures colons also keeps kids healthy.
In this book, Dr. Bill outlines ten changes families can make to raise healthier kids. They include: eating good carbs and fats, making informed food choices and increasing activity. Dr. Bill and Martha have raised eight children and they include tips on what they did to change their diets. Their grown-up kids also provide anecdotes, i.e. how Dr. Jim turned a grocery shopping trip into a learning lab for his kids.
Instead of a dry technical book, I felt as if I were meeting with Dr. Bill to discuss good nutrition. Scientific terms are clearly explained. The use of humorous drawings and comparison charts add visual interest. Recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are also included. My favorite chapter was Common Nutritional Questions because it provided strategies that are easy to use.
Because this book is part of the Sears Parenting Library, I felt that it kept advertising the series. After the table of contents there is a reminder to go to www.askdrsears.com to look up more nutritional information, find visual aids and more recipes. This was helpful.
However throughout the book, askdrsears.com is mentioned four more times to find the same information. Another book, Dr. Sears' LEAN Kids, is also recommended if your family is "struggling with over-fat issues,"
I also wish Dr. Sears would include a reference list for the scientific studies that are used in his examples. For instance, he mentions the famous salmon study, which I had never heard about. I could do a Google search but it would be less time consuming if the book included a bibliography.
I liked how instead of being a diet, Dr. Sears emphasizes moderation, balanced eating and lifelong physical activity. Discuss the questions and topics raised in this book and talk to
your pediatrician to see what works for your child and your family.
Armchair Interviews says: This book is valuable for teachers and parents since it contains a lot of good information.