Many mothers see their children gaining too much weight despite their efforts to grow their children in a healthy way.. While there are hereditary factors related to this type of affectations, the truth is that the reasons why childhood obesity plagues our societies is another.
Our way of life has been changing a lot in the last generations, and also very particularly in the case of children. Sedentary lifestyles and changing eating habits are the two main reasons why childhood obesity rates are higher than ever.
Be that as it may, fortunately we can fight childhood obesity and keep our children from getting fat thanks to the advice given by scientific evidence.
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The 8 basic tips to combat childhood obesity and that your children do not have excess weight.
There is little to do about the genetic factor, but the good news is that the specific weight of this factor is very small. It is really up to us to take the lead in the fight against childhood obesity and be proactive, especially when it comes to nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. Here are the 8 fundamental tips to combat childhood obesity.
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1. Prevention as early as pregnancy
Even before the baby is born, we can act to prevent this problem.. Having good habits promotes that the child is born in a healthy and healthy way.
It is estimated that this prevents problems such as the baby being born with inadequate weights, since very high or very low weights will cause the child to have a higher risk of developing obesity disease.
2. Obligatory breakfast
There are children who have a very bad breakfast or do not have breakfast at all, when it is known that it is the most important meal of the day.when it is known that it is the most important meal of the day. After being all night without eating it is essential for the child (and the adult) to replenish energy to face the challenges of a new day.
Obviously, the profile of the foods eaten is also very important. We emphasize that the child should eat fruit, a source of protein which can be a dairy product, and a source of carbohydrates such as cereals. We also strongly recommend avoiding cereals that are ultra-processed by the food industry.
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3. Eating as a family
To acquire healthy habits and ensure that you eat healthy food it is very important to eat with the family together around the table. If we do this we can control the profile of the food our children eat.
Our children will internalize that there are correct times to eat and that there is a type of food that the family should eat. They will acquire the habit of avoiding eating inappropriate things between meals, and there is also a fundamental social component in eating together.
4. Light snack
For our child to eat well, it is not necessary to eat a lot at every meal.. The mid-afternoon snack is that moment in which giving something to the child we avoid that it is more than three or four hours in fasting, but this should not compromise the intake of lunch or dinner. If the child eats too much at snack time, he/she may not want to eat at dinner.
On the other hand, it is very important to avoid all kinds of processed products from the food industry. Children really like sugary and flashy marketing products, but we should avoid sugary cookies, sugary yogurts, sugary cereals, etc.
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5. Eating in a balanced way
Undoubtedly, lunch and dinner should include a type of food that is as healthy as possible.. It is possible that the child may find it difficult to get used to certain tastes, but in fact in the subject of food is not much more than this, a habit.
If the child assumes from an early age that normal food is soups, salads, fish, fruit, etc., there will not be too many problems. If the child complains and we give him the reason and new less healthy solutions, then it will be more complicated to re-educate him. For example, sweets or soft drinks should only be taken on occasions when there is a celebration.
6. Set an example
Sometimes we ask our children to do certain things when we do not do them ourselves.. For example, we ask them to read and we always watch television.
If we want our children to acquire healthy habits, parents must set the example. This obviously includes eating healthy food and exercising. For our children to eat salad and wear sneakers, they should see that we do too.
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7. Physical exercise
For our children to be able to fight childhood obesity, it is essential that they acquire good habits also by doing physical exercise.. We should encourage our children to go out more and interact with other children playing than sitting on the couch with the tablet or watching TV.
Practicing exercise has many psychological and social benefits, and it also promotes having an adequate weight. This prevents the onset of several diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles and weight gain.
8. Consult a specialist
All of the above tips are based on a proven scientific basis and are preventive measures that work if they are carried out properly. In any case, it may be considered appropriate to go to the pediatrician to monitor the child’s weight and receive further guidance from the doctor.
In all cases in which parents notice that their child is gaining a lot of weight or gets tired easily, they should consult a pediatrician.. These specialists know how to guide parents in case of childhood obesity.
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Referencias bibliográficas
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Janssen, I., Craig, W.M., Boyce, W.F. y Pickett, W. (2004). Associations between overweight and obesity with bullying behaviors in school-aged children. Pediatrics, 113 (5), 1187–94.
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Videon, T.M. y Manning, C.K. (2003). Influences on adolescent eating patterns: the importance of family meals. J Adolesc Health, 32 (5), 365–373.
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Whitaker, R.C., Seidel, K.D. y Dietz, W.H. (1997). Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. N Engl J Med, 25, 337-350.