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DOH promotes healthy Halloween eating

By Regan McCarthy

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-991639.mp3

Tallahassee,FL – The Florida Department of Health is encouraging parents to teach their children moderation. Regan McCarthy reports Halloween comes just days before diabetes awareness month.

Betsy Wood is the chief of Florida's bureau of chronic disease promotion and health prevention. Wood says what's important is a healthy and varied diet. She says that can include a piece of candy once in awhile.

"Moderate amounts of even unhealthy things like candy is not going to throw somebody into diabetes or make them overweight or obese."

Eric Schuck is the director of pediatric emergency medicine at Capital Regional Medical Center. Schuck says parents can use Halloween as an opportunity to teach their kids moderation by letting them pick out a few pieces they want to eat right away and saving the rest for later. He says a good general rule of thumb is to let a kid eat as many pieces of candy as half their age -- so a 6-year-old might be allowed to have three pieces of candy.