According to the World Health Organization (WHO), childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. World wide (although statistics between countries may vary), its prevalence increases alarmingly, to the point that neither developing countries are spared.
Nowadays pediatricians already have it clear: “An overweight child is not a healthy child”Therefore, in these cases it is possible to offer advice that serves to balance the relationship between energy contribution and expenditure, and also review family nutrition. Therefore we find that Both professionals and family have a responsibility for the future health of children.
Why so much interest? It turns out that children who are overweight, or obese, are quite likely to remain so in adulthood, but in addition, obesity is related to cardiovascular disease, asthma or hypertension, in addition to That can accelerate the process of puberty.
We have tried to collect all the valid recommendations so that families begin to introduce substantial changes (if we have not already done so) that bring our children closer to a lasting health perspective that will benefit them now and in the future.
Is there a lifestyle that favors obesity?
More or less I think we all have it clear (regardless of whether we put it into practice): the physical activity that many children do is very limited, and sometimes it is reduced to the hours of physical education at school. Otherwise they move (move them) by car through the city, tend to be very sedentary after school hours, and do not exercise on weekends.
Is this generalizable? Of course not, but the PERSEO program (pilot program dependent on the Government of Spain focused on health and exercise) carried out during the 2008/09 academic year, offered indicators such as 33 percent of children between six and 10 years spent three hours a day watching television, or that 38% only participate in the physical activities proposed by the school.
On the other hand, lately we are hearing about the fact that sleeping badly (few hours) favors overweight, apart from other problems. The general recommendation until (at least) 10 years is to ensure that they rest 10 hours, however it seems that today parents We don't give sleep the importance it deserves.
And last (although not least) we find eating habitsAt this point we must point ourselves - the parents - as responsible, although sometimes it takes some training to get to offer a healthy diet to children. Increase in the intake of protein and manufactured products; lower presence of fruits and vegetables; too much power of decision on nutrition by children ...
If we are positive, we will realize that we can turn everything around
As we pointed out three days ago, the prevention of overweight and obesity begins in the first three years of life ... and does not end there. But I go even further: although they are bigger, we are in time to take the reins, everything is for the health of our children.
More important than many believe: infant feeding
However, and as a follower pointed out (Thank you! David Moreno) we forget to include something in which all the sources consulted coincide: Breastfeeding is not only the healthiest food for the newborn, but also has a protective effect against obesity. The main recommendation is to offer it exclusively during the first six months of life, and keep it up to two years, combining it with complementary feeding, without forgetting that milk is the main food during the first 12 months.
That said, when opting for artificial milk, you should avoid adding other sugars or starches
As Julio Basulto indicates in his book "It makes me a ball", after two years, the feeding of a child can be 'the same' as that of an adult. The same? Yes: equally healthy, balanced (I'm not worth the adults who eat stuffed buns, eat pre-cooked cannelloni and have french fries), only by adjusting the amounts. If it is important to recognize some failures made by parents - and mentioned below - it is also important to recognize that forcing to eat is totally counterproductive, we must rely on the ability of our children to self-regulate.
We go with those mistakes that I anticipated: we leave when they leave the school eat sweet or savory sweets, some even buns (how do we want after they are hungry?); we forget to include vegetables at lunch and dinner; to do the same with fruits at breakfast or snack. We have adherence to the Mediterranean diet, but we are tempted by very elaborate foods (and therefore with excess salt, sugar or unhealthy fats).
More about food
Is the workhorse in your homes? so start even little by little to make changes, so important is to review the axes on which a diet that prevents obesity is based, such as defining the role of children (who can self-regulate does not mean that they decide on the shopping cart, unless they have the ability to introduce really healthy foods).
As you know breakfast is very important, the more complete the better.
Our daily diet will consist mainly of: cereals, vegetables and fruits. Proteins (dairy, eggs, meat, fish) are included moderately, and we can increase the presence of legumes in the diet (how about two days instead of one?). Always better to cook from basic foods. We remember the post about food groups.
Snacks can also be healthy (vegetables, fruits, bread sticks, nuts).
The intake of sugary drinks is due reduce as much as possible; the same for candies of any kind and processed sweets.
Eating as a family is a preventive behavior against any eating disorder (including obesity).
And if I mentioned that children should not be able to decide, it is no less true that it is possible to include them in the processes, with very clear indications. So if they accompany us to buy, we decide together the menu, we let them help prepare ... we also lay the foundations of health, and incidentally, we give them autonomy so that in the future they have responsibility for their own.
Eat well ... and physical activity
As you can see, we have given great importance to food, and we have only spoken in passing about the importance of physical exercise and sleeping hours. In these aspects the intervention of the parents is also decisive, so much so that with our model we can achieve that by becoming teenagers they have no tendency to sedentary.
And not only the example, but to find a balance between our aspirations for the training of children (do you know that there are those who go to extracurricular schools five days a week?) And their desire to run around the park, or walk with their friends, depending of the age. further not only regulated physical activity, so Sunday family excursions, also fight against sedentary lifestyle.
Something similar happens with sleep, the effort to settle the habit can compensate in the future, a child cannot decide when to go to sleep, otherwise we would find some who stay to watch television until 11:30 at night (I have not invented it), and considering that school performance is also involved, we are not interested at all.
Images | Julia,, David Beach, USAG- Humphreys, Summer In Peques and More | Overweight and obesity are preventable diseases: the key is to avoid energy imbalance, Good practices in the feeding of school-age children, The importance of nutrition in the prevention of overweight and obesity is already taken into account
