As parents, we all want to ensure that our children enjoy their childhood, whilst also learning some useful and important habits that will serve them well in adult life. Teaching them about a varied, nutritious diet and an active lifestyle are valuable lessons that can also be fun for your child.
Why is it important?
Here in the Middle East, obesity is one of the biggest health concerns affecting our children and an area that the government and local health authority are actively acting on. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980 leading to 42 million children being obese by 2013. And, if this increasing trend continues, the number of overweight or obese infants and young children globally will reach 70 million by 2025. However, despite the worrying statistics, all experts agree that obesity is preventable, and educating children from a young age about healthy lifestyle habits can help ensure them a healthy childhood and eventually a healthier adult life. So where should parents start?
It is important to ensure the following four simple habits are adopted by the entire family to help sustain good health: managing portion sizes, ensuring that daily meals and snacks are nutritious and varied, drinking water to stay hydrated and finally moving more and sitting less.
1. More movement
The first tip is probably the easiest. Parents should get their children moving and active. Any physical activity is better than none at all and one way to get kids to move more is to challenge them to only sit down for a certain length of time each day, decreasing the time spent on sedentary activities such as playing on the computer. Finding alternatives tailored to a child’s interests from throwing games in the garden or park, to organised sports can help them not only develop their motor skills, but also with decision-making, paying attention and teamwork.
2. More water
Water is crucial to life. It hydrates and helps regulate body temperature and this is especially important for children who are physically active or living in hot climates, all without adding calories to the diet. But what if your child does not like water?
- Make it available and handy so when they see it, they are more prone to drink it.
- Make drinking water fun with a coloured straw or specially designed water cups.
- You might also try putting a little lemon wedge or squeezing a little bit of fresh orange into it.
3. More fruit and vegetables
Kids should be encouraged to enjoy a variety of healthy foods from different food groups to ensure they have a nutrient-rich diet. Variety, after all, is so important when it comes to enjoying the sight, smell, touch and taste of food. Parents should also consider not just what nutritious main meals to make but other opportunities to instil good healthy eating habits. Examples of this could include ensuring there is always a stocked fruit bowl for after-school snacks or keeping chopped vegetables in the fridge. Another way to encourage children to choose nutritious and varied food is by engaging them in purchasing and also helping prepare meals at home, this enables them to see how to create a balanced meal for themselves.
4. More managed portions
Did you know that portion sizes began to increase in the 1980s and have been growing ever since? In fact, our perception of portions has become so distorted over time that, research shows, it is hard for us to recognise what a normal portion looks like. Parents should always ensure the meals served to their family contain the right balance of nutrients. Moreover, even when the quality of food offered is nutritious it is equally important to manage the portion sizes.
With thanks to United for Healthier Kids (U4HK), a movement to ensure everyone plays their part in ensuring the children of the region remain healthy. Visit www.U4HK-me.com.
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