In case you missed it, children's cereals have been making headlines recently, and the news is not good.
   Yale University's Rudd Center for Food and Obesity confirms what many parents have already figured out: the cereals marketed to our children are loaded with not-so-good-for-you sugar and sodium, while containing less fiber than adult-targeted cereals.
The Rudd Center figures: 85% more sugar; 60% more sodium; and 65% less fiber.
And our youngsters find it all irresistible.
  After all, they're bombarded, on average, with 642 cereal ads every year on TV-thus raking in about $229 million annually for manufacturers.
Meanwhile, that's not counting all the hours children might spend on the Internet.
For instance, when visiting Reese's Puffs, they're invited to "Customize your Avatar & create your dance.
" At the Millsberry site, they can play "Swirl the World Game" in Trix World and have fun with Lucky Charms webisodes, just for starters.
You get the point .
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So, while your kids may beg, stay clear of these least nutritious cereals; many contain 40% to 50% sugar and are typically the most advertised: 1.
Reese's Puffs (General Mills) 2.
Corn Pops (Kellogg's) 3.
Lucky Charms (General Mills) 4.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch (General Mills) & Cap'n Crunch (Quaker Oats) 5.
Trix (General Mills), Froot Loops (Kellogg's), and Fruity & Cocoa Pebbles (Post) 6.
Cocoa Puffs (General Mills) 7.
Cookie Crisp (General Mills) What's a parent to do then? Consumer Reports researchers offer these better-for-your-child alternatives: 1.
Cheerios (General Mills) 2.
Kix (General Mills) 3.
Honey Nut Cheerios (General Mills) 4.
Life (Quaker Oats) Cheerios tops that list because it contains only one gram of sugar but offers up three grams of fiber in every serving.
Also consider Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats, which although each serving contains 12 grams of sugar, your child will also consume six grams of fiber.
Need a few more alternatives? The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation suggests: o Hannah Montana (Kellogg's) o Clifford Crunch (Cascadian Farm) o Mighty Bites (Kashi) o Honey Sunshine (Kashi) o Organic Wild Puffs (Barbara's Bakery) In other words, shop wisely for the good health of your children, believing these experts and the nutrition facts listed on the side of every cereal box-not the health claims asserted boldly on the front.
And while you're at it, limit excessive TV viewing by your little ones where they're at the mercy of savvy marketers.
Ditto for time on the Internet.