Stop calling me a fat boy~ 6 dietary tips, parents should learn them first

Childhood obesity is on the rise worldwide, and Taiwan is no exception. A national survey in 2009 found that the obesity prevalence rate among preschool children aged 2-6 was as high as 15.6%; in a 2010 survey, the obesity rate among adolescents aged 12-18 was as high as 25%. Studies have shown that childhood obesity is one of the factors that lead to adult obesity. Statistics show that 70-80% of people who are overweight during adolescence will develop adult obesity. Adult obesity can easily lead to various chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, fatty liver, sleep apnea, diabetes, and even cancer, so the problem of childhood obesity cannot be ignored.

How to tell if a child is overweight?

The body mass index (BMI) can be used as a judgment. The calculation method is: weight (kg)/height2 (m). For example: if the height is 120 cm and the weight is 25 kg, then BMI=25/(1.2)2=17.3. The BMI standards for children and adults are different. The ideal BMI range for children and adolescents can be found in the table below. If your BMI is above the ideal range, you are overweight or obese.

Children are overweight, parents should help

Studies have shown that children's food preferences are often influenced by their parents. We have also seen parents who bring their children to nutrition consultation for weight loss, and they themselves have weight problems or unhealthy eating habits, such as: the family often buys sugary drinks and snacks, often eats out and chooses fried food, and the parents are accustomed to staying up late and eating supper, etc. Therefore, if children need to lose weight, the family also needs to learn together and establish a healthy eating environment to make it easier to achieve.

The goal of dietary control for fat children should be to establish correct eating habits rather than simply asking children to eat less. Here are some tips for parents to help establish proper eating habits for their children.

Tip 1. Get up early and eat breakfast every day

Studies have shown that children who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight, while children who are accustomed to eating breakfast have better concentration in learning and are less likely to get sick. Therefore, children should develop the habit of going to bed early, getting up early and eating breakfast. When choosing breakfast food, it is recommended to choose more high-fiber, protein-rich foods, such as: whole-wheat steamed buns with eggs and soy milk; the "bacon cheese burger + milk tea" commonly seen in breakfast shops and the "pork floss bread + chocolate milk" in convenience stores are both high-fat and high-sugar combinations and should be avoided as much as possible.

Tip 2. Have a bowl of vegetables at lunch and dinner

If children are taught to eat vegetables from an early age, they will be more likely to take the initiative to consume vegetables when they grow up. It is recommended to have half a bowl to one bowl of various vegetables for lunch and dinner. In addition to taking in various nutrients that help growth and development, it also increases satiety and reduces calorie intake. For children who no longer like to eat vegetables, you can cook vegetables together with their favorite foods, or use interesting stories or give vegetables interesting names to attract children to eat vegetables.

Tip 3. Don’t eat fried chicken or fast food

Avoid using fried chicken or fast food as a reward for your children for achieving a certain goal just because they like it. Also, try not to choose fast food for a meal just because it is convenient. Parents' attitudes toward food often influence their children's food preferences.

4. Exchange sweets and biscuits for fruits

Prepare fruit as snacks for children when they come home from school, and get into the habit of preparing appropriate amounts of fruit for them after dinner to reduce the chances of them eating snacks.

Tip 5. Drink only sugar-free drinks and water

Beverages are invisible calories. High fructose syrup is often added to hand-shaken cups, fruit juices, and soda drinks. Regular consumption can easily cause obesity, high uric acid, and fatty liver. Habits are developed, but they can also be changed, so help your children develop the good habit of drinking water from an early age.

Tip 6. Eat only fresh food and don’t be picky about food

Processed foods often contain a lot of sugar, fat, pigments, and additives, which can easily lead to excessive calorie intake and may also cause disease. For example, studies have found that pigments in candy are one of the causes of ADHD in children. Choose more "original foods", such as natural fruits and vegetables, whole grain rice, and sweet potatoes, and eat less "processed foods" such as bread, biscuits, hot dogs, hot pot ingredients, etc. Let your children get used to the "original flavor" of food, and their weight will naturally be easier to control.

The three key elements of a healthy body: diet, sleep, and exercise

If a child is overweight or obese, diet is the key. In addition, it is also necessary to check whether the child's exercise and sleeping habits are normal. Sleep is closely related to growth and development. Insufficient sleep not only affects development, but can also easily cause obesity. A study of preschool children found that those who slept 2 hours a day were nearly twice as likely to be obese as those who slept less than 1 hour. Excessive TV watching time also leads to a reduction in outdoor activities, and a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity.

Studies have found that obesity has a negative impact on children's brain cognitive function, and exercise can not only control weight but also improve the impact of obesity on brain cognitive function. Therefore, it is recommended that children under 2 years old should exclude television and other electronic forms of entertainment, while children over 2 years old should be limited to no more than 2 hours a day; and at least 1 hour of moderate-intensity physical activity should be arranged every day to accompany children to develop regular exercise habits and cultivate a dynamic lifestyle.

Obese children are more likely to have metabolic diseases, precocious puberty, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which affects their learning. Psychologically, obesity can easily cause children to have low self-esteem, emotional and behavioral disorders, and affect their social life at school. Therefore, obesity has a huge impact on children. If there is an obese child in the family, parents should actively intervene as early as possible to help adjust the child's lifestyle and give the child a healthy future.