16 dietary recommendations to help prevent childhood obesity
When it comes to feeding their children, Indian parents frequently struggle to strike a balance. It might be difficult to get youngsters to eat more homemade cuisine and healthy foods because they can be picky eaters. Additionally, the accessibility of sugary drinks and junk food has made it simpler for calories and bad fats to enter your child’s diet. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that childhood obesity has become a serious health issue for growing children. Obesity is an issue because, if untreated, it can cause your child to develop lifestyle disorders like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and even low self-esteem.
Dietitian Neha the best dietitian in Mohali will help you in calculating your your child’s body fat.
Therefore, it’s crucial to calculate your child’s BMI or body fat. It is calculated by dividing the weight by the height square. Additionally, the body fat percentile allows you to assess your child’s body fat in relation to that of children of the same age and gender. Therefore, your child is at a significant risk of being overweight or obese if their BMI is at or above the 85th percentile. Take action by teaching your child healthy eating habits, motivating him or her to be active, and implementing the following advice by Dietitian Neha, the famous dietitian in Mohali
Encourage your children to limit their consumption of junk food like burgers, fries, and pizza by teaching them about proper portion proportions.
Whenever you cook noodles, add a tonne of fresh vegetables to make it more nutrient-rich. Consider switching to whole wheat pasta from spaghetti produced with refined flour.
Make sure your child gets enough water to drink. This will fill them up and prevent them from reaching for a fatty, sugary snack.
As a snack, provide them with a fruit or a vegetable as opposed to ice cream or chips. Greek yoghurt or apple slices with peanut butter are healthy alternatives to packaged snacks.
Give your kids plenty of time to play—at least an hour. Both their physical and mental growth depend on this. Include a variety of physical activities like dancing, skipping, etc. because kids become tired doing the same things over and over.
Limit their daily screen time to between 30 and 60 minutes. Instead of letting your kids spend all day watching TV, encourage them to play outside.
Instead than concentrating on losing weight, keep your health in check. Encourage your youngster to have a positive attitude toward physical activity and encourage healthy eating habits. Their weight will return to normal as a result of this.
Encourage healthy eating and physical activity in children by involving the entire family. Children learn by imitating the adults around them.
As a family, eat meals and snacks together and refrain from watching television so that the children may concentrate on the taste, flavour, colour, and texture of the food.
You shouldn’t let your kids eat meals or snacks while they watch TV because this could keep them from feeling full and could result in overeating.
Kids shouldn’t be fully denied fatty and sugary foods because doing so will just make them crave them more. Make certain to occasionally treat them. They are permitted to consume any meal in moderation.
Include children in meal planning, preparation, and purchasing. In this manner, you will be able to comprehend their tastes and provide nutritional knowledge to them.
Don’t overfeed them with fruit juice because it is heavy in sugar and calories. Give them entire fruits instead, as they will provide fibre.
Encourage them to chew their meal thoroughly and eat slowly, as this will increase satiety.
If your child eats when they are bored, depressed, or lonely, try to help them discover patterns. Aid them in identifying true hunger.
Never use food as a reinforcer or deterrent. As a result, an unhealthy attachment with food is developed.
Every child has a different physical type when they are born. Therefore, changing their diet shouldn’t be based solely on the assumption that they are overweight. It is not advisable to put children on extreme weight-loss regimens because they are still developing and a restrictive diet may impede their growth. Always seek the assistance of a medical practitioner to determine the child’s height, weight, and take into account their growth history.
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