Do you know than some children spend more than 5 hours daily in front of a TV or computer? Do you know than in over past 15 years, the number of children who are overweight has more than doubled? And do you know than more than 50% children in Western world play no sport or participate in other physical activity? Can we blame them? Most parents spend free time in front of television instead doing physical activity.
Well balanced diet
Well balanced diet and eating a range of foods each day from the five food groups is essential for healthy child. A family is a setting example. One should eat plenty vegetables, legumes, fruit, bread, cereal, rice, pasta and noodles. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese should be eaten in moderate amounts. The same is with lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs and nuts. When eating oils margarines and other foods high in fat or sugar, parents should be restrictive and should allow only small amounts. It is also important to to avoid soft drinks, but to drink plenty water.
Instead of labeling foods as good or bad, educate your children on foods that should form the basis of an everyday diet (like rice, noodles, chapatti or pasta, fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, lean meat, tofu and other various foods), and foods that are not recommended to eat as often as healthy ones. These foods are fried food, candy, snack food, soft drinks.
. . Allow your children to enjoy sweet treats in moderation, but you are the one to set clear ground rules on frequency and timing.
Perhaps you didn't know that, but breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Some researches were made and they claim that children who don't eat breakfast may find it harder to concentrate at school. It is also proven that skipping breakfast may negatively effect metabolism and contribute to weight gain.
Researchers have also found that when both parents are physically active, the child is six times more likely to be physically active. But if one parent habitually eats high fat food, the child is twice as likely to be overweight, and if both parents eat high fat foods, the child is three to six times more likely to be overweight. (Understanding Childhood Obesity Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1999)
Daily activity
Obesity among children and adolescents is alarming! Some studies report is has quadrupled in the past four decades for children ages six to eleven, while it has tripled for adolescents. This is epidemic and is partly related to what our children eat, but also how much daily activity and exercise they encounter. Childhood obesity includes few more related factors, such as genetics and community environment, but the fact is that poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are factors number one contributing to obesity in children.
Do not expect from your child to develop healthy physical activities themselves. You must set a good example yourself. For example, when planning vacations or family outgoings, choose those that involve vigorous activities such as hiking, swimming, skiing etc. It is also important to limit child's time spend in front of television and computer games to less than two hours a day. This way your child will have more time for physical activities. Observe sports and activities that your child likes and then find lessons and clubs: some children are more prone to team sports, while other function best as individuals.
Also, when buying gifts for your children, choose sport-related gifts, such as jump rope, baseball bat, mini-trampoline, tennis racket etc.
Give your children some household chores that require activity, such as mowing lawns, taking out the garbage... This is not only good exercise, but also great way to teach them some responsibility.
And most important, when your child is bored, encourage something that will get your child moving.
If child is overweight?
Never make an issue of a child's weight. You as a parent must make sure your child feels totally loved and accepted, regardless his or hers weight. But as mentioned above, you are a primary role model for your child: if you eat healthy, your child will too, if you choose low sugar or low fat snack, your child will too, if you exercise on daily basis, your child will too. And if a child learns the value of exercise and healthy eating, it is more likely that child will continue such habits throughout his or hers life.
If child is overweight, do not put a child on a special diet or exercise program. Avoid giving obese child a special treatment- weight loss is not the goal. Instead, focus on weight maintenance, which allows child to grow into his or her weight.
And finally, you must be there. You must know and control your child- get involved. Parents who generally know their children's whereabouts, set clear rules and are there to control and participate in their school and play activities. These parents are more likely to report healthy habits, such as healthy breakfast and lunch and consuming fruits and vegetables, and these children are also more likely to report high levels of family communication.
It is not all about unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and too much television and computer games, but these days it is a lot. Parents live fast lives and don't have time for their children, and when they do, they do not spend quality time with them.
Here are few more tips or guides to upbringing healthy children:
Well balanced diet
Well balanced diet and eating a range of foods each day from the five food groups is essential for healthy child. A family is a setting example. One should eat plenty vegetables, legumes, fruit, bread, cereal, rice, pasta and noodles. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese should be eaten in moderate amounts. The same is with lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs and nuts. When eating oils margarines and other foods high in fat or sugar, parents should be restrictive and should allow only small amounts. It is also important to to avoid soft drinks, but to drink plenty water.
Instead of labeling foods as good or bad, educate your children on foods that should form the basis of an everyday diet (like rice, noodles, chapatti or pasta, fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, lean meat, tofu and other various foods), and foods that are not recommended to eat as often as healthy ones. These foods are fried food, candy, snack food, soft drinks.
. . Allow your children to enjoy sweet treats in moderation, but you are the one to set clear ground rules on frequency and timing.
Perhaps you didn't know that, but breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Some researches were made and they claim that children who don't eat breakfast may find it harder to concentrate at school. It is also proven that skipping breakfast may negatively effect metabolism and contribute to weight gain.
Researchers have also found that when both parents are physically active, the child is six times more likely to be physically active. But if one parent habitually eats high fat food, the child is twice as likely to be overweight, and if both parents eat high fat foods, the child is three to six times more likely to be overweight. (Understanding Childhood Obesity Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1999)
Daily activity
Obesity among children and adolescents is alarming! Some studies report is has quadrupled in the past four decades for children ages six to eleven, while it has tripled for adolescents. This is epidemic and is partly related to what our children eat, but also how much daily activity and exercise they encounter. Childhood obesity includes few more related factors, such as genetics and community environment, but the fact is that poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are factors number one contributing to obesity in children. Do not expect from your child to develop healthy physical activities themselves. You must set a good example yourself. For example, when planning vacations or family outgoings, choose those that involve vigorous activities such as hiking, swimming, skiing etc. It is also important to limit child's time spend in front of television and computer games to less than two hours a day. This way your child will have more time for physical activities. Observe sports and activities that your child likes and then find lessons and clubs: some children are more prone to team sports, while other function best as individuals.
Also, when buying gifts for your children, choose sport-related gifts, such as jump rope, baseball bat, mini-trampoline, tennis racket etc.
Give your children some household chores that require activity, such as mowing lawns, taking out the garbage... This is not only good exercise, but also great way to teach them some responsibility.
And most important, when your child is bored, encourage something that will get your child moving.
If child is overweight?
Never make an issue of a child's weight. You as a parent must make sure your child feels totally loved and accepted, regardless his or hers weight. But as mentioned above, you are a primary role model for your child: if you eat healthy, your child will too, if you choose low sugar or low fat snack, your child will too, if you exercise on daily basis, your child will too. And if a child learns the value of exercise and healthy eating, it is more likely that child will continue such habits throughout his or hers life.
If child is overweight, do not put a child on a special diet or exercise program. Avoid giving obese child a special treatment- weight loss is not the goal. Instead, focus on weight maintenance, which allows child to grow into his or her weight.
And finally, you must be there. You must know and control your child- get involved. Parents who generally know their children's whereabouts, set clear rules and are there to control and participate in their school and play activities. These parents are more likely to report healthy habits, such as healthy breakfast and lunch and consuming fruits and vegetables, and these children are also more likely to report high levels of family communication.
It is not all about unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and too much television and computer games, but these days it is a lot. Parents live fast lives and don't have time for their children, and when they do, they do not spend quality time with them.
Here are few more tips or guides to upbringing healthy children:
- Parent as a role model: parent is the one to teach them what is healthy eating and what is regular exercise; this way parents can prevent possibility of developing eating disorders and other food-related disorders, which often stem from a feeling of being alone and disconnected from the others. For example, never eat in front of television and for example, start exercising together by playing outdoor sports and games.
- Enforce healthy eating habits at home: fill your cupboards with healthy choices, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. Remember that kids eat what is available, not necessarily what is good for them.
- Cook one meal for the family: these days we are too preoccupied to eat lunch or any other meal together and slowly. We are always in the rush and do not have time for healthy eating. Find time! If not for lunch, than for dinner. And expect everyone to sit down together at the table. This can be a huge challenge, I know, but it is a great time to spend at least some quality time together and to observe your children's eating habits.
- You must set limitations on television, computer time and video games: determine a certain amount of time each day that can be devoted to these activities, but make sure this doesn't last more than two hours. Be consistent in your expectations
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