Chubby babies and toddlers are so cute, but are we ignoring the first signs of obesity. In today’s world, children have to face advertisements and peer pressure very early in life. Additionally, nuclear families, where both parents are working, leave little time for family meals or home-cooked meals. Ordering or replenishing junk food is a common practice. Excessive screen time, no physical activity is also increasing. Due to this obesity in children is increasing. In India the prevalence is 15% and in higher income groups – about 35%. Obesity at an early age can lead to serious consequences with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.
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prevention is better than cure. Childhood is a stage of learning, it is important to teach a child to eat healthy from the beginning.
- Let’s talk: You can’t lecture kids and eat unhealthy yourself. As a parent you should start eating healthy so that your child develops the feeling of good food.
- Cook at home with fresh ingredients. Exposure to high-salt, sugar and fatty foods early in children sets a template for their taste centre. Once accustomed to artificial flavors and high-sugar foods such as packaged juices, candies, fast food and junk snacks, they will never accept the more subtle flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Fruits and vegetables need to be introduced early. Vegetables can be pureed and added to gravies and soups to start. A bowl of fresh seasonal fruits with dried fruits on the table will help make them a healthy snack.
- Hydration is of great importance for children. Water, fresh coconut water, traditional kanji, aam panna, ragi kanji, home-made sugar-filled hydration drinks with less sugar and will serve to develop a liking for natural flavor as compared to soda. Milk, lassi, chaas is also a healthy drink.
- While picking up your kid after school, you can try nuts, homemade energy bars like peanut and jaggery bar, almond, cashew and fig mix, bhelpuri with nuts, boiled corn, makhana with chickpeas, nut butter dips. You can take fruits with you. HFSS snacks on the go.
- limit screen time; For this, you have to reduce yourself too. Content monitoring is also important. Children acquire habits very quickly through audio-visual media.
- A dedicated exercise time, ideally you should also accompany them. Family vacations can include treks, cycling and hiking expeditions
If your child is becoming overweight or obese, start immediately with all of the above. keep the following in mind
- Don’t put your child on a “diet”. Childhood is a period of rapid growth, it is important that the child gets all the nutrients necessary for the development of healthy organs, brain and body.
- Focus on a balanced diet overall rather than on specific nutrients. Every meal should contain all the major food groups.
- Make sure to have breakfast, make sure your child eats a good breakfast.
- Whole grains like oats, wheat, uncooked rice as well as millets like sama, ragi, buckwheat should be used more frequently.
- Adequate healthy protein packages should be available. Legumes, sprouted pulses, egg, chicken, fish can be cooked to make delicious food.
- Milk is a must for babies, use skimmed milk to make sweets like low sugar kheer, custard, homemade ice cream.
- Make some fruit popsicles or freeze fresh fruit juice
- Fry instead of deep frying. Use an air fryer to cook. Grill, bake to limit oil intake.
- Keep the pantry free from junk food like biscuits, namkeen, chips and ready-to-cook. Take your child to fresh fruit/vegetable markets away from shopping malls and stores.
- Eat together so you can monitor portion sizes. It is also an opportunity to interact with your child and will teach them social skills.
- Meal times should be fixed and the kitchen should be closed by 9 pm
- Fast food, candy can sometimes be allowed in limited quantities, but don’t make it a prize.
- Structured exercise programs like Zumba, Dancing are also good for them.
Here are some healthy tiffin ideas. A lot of these can be prepared in a weekend and used to save time.
Wheat Tacos with Bell Peppers, Cheese/Chicken and Lassi
Roll out whole wheat roti with rajma stuffing, green chutney and fruit milkshake
Whole Wheat / Multigrain Burger Bun + Fresh Grilled Paneer / Chana Dal / Chicken Patty, Tomato and Onion with Fresh Fruit Juice.
Chana Dal Pulao / Chicken or Mutton Biryani + Mint Raita + Fruits
Multigrain Bagel + Peanut Butter + Fruit
Corn+Tomato+Paneer Tikka/Chicken Tikka+Fruit
Dealing with obesity in children is a sensitive issue. We need to target overall health and ensure holistic development while keeping the child away from body shaming and physical stress.