Providing a healthy lifestyle for children is the responsibility of parents and other caregivers when the children are young, especially to prevent them from developing child obesity.
Here are a few simple things you, as a parent, can do to make sure your child’s BMI is within the normal range.
- Be a good role model by following a healthy diet and engaging in regular physical activity.
- At meal and snack times, maintain a calm and reassuring atmosphere.
- Limit their time spent watching television, using a tablet, or playing video games.
- Engage the entire family in a variety of active pursuits.
- Maintain a positive body image in children.
- Restrictive diets and excessive exercise regimens should be avoided.
It doesn’t matter how big or small your child is when it comes to nutrition and fitness. A healthy weight for children is a lot more than just the number on the scale. A wide variety of foods and physical activity can help your child build strength, flexibility, and aerobic capacity.
A Diet Isn’t the Solution
At times, diets can do more harm than good. Children who diet are more likely to develop child obesity and have lower self-esteem than those who don’t diet, according to a study. Consult your GP and a registered dietitian nutritionist before putting your child on a diet.
Adults can help their children develop healthy lifestyle habits by following these simple steps. Adults can also benefit from these methods for maintaining a healthy weight.
- Play with your children to stay fit. A minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity is recommended for children. Every day, spend time with your children. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. There may be some kid-friendly activities at your local community centre. Family outings like biking, after-dinner walks, or games of basketball or soccer at the park are great ways to get everyone moving.
- Make meals with your family a special occasion. It is possible to improve the health, well-being, and financial well-being of your family by eating more meals together. It’s less expensive to cook dinner at home than to eat out, and it’s easier than you might think.
- Don’t use food as a form of punishment or reward. Restricting a child’s access to certain foods only fuels his or her appetite for them. Instead of denying your child’s favourite food, consider limiting the serving size. When your child behaves well, give him or her non-food rewards like stickers or the opportunity to invite a friend over to play.
- Eat out in moderation. When dining out, look for kid-friendly options like grilled chicken wraps, carrots with dip, and fruit on the children’s menu. Adding low-fat milk or a side salad to takeout or home delivery meals is a simple way to make it healthier.
- Eat a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. At least 1 ½ cups of fruit and 1 ½ cups of vegetables are necessary for most children over the age of four. A delicious fruit or vegetable should accompany every meal or snack.
- Fresh, frozen, dried, and canned foods all play a role in maintaining a healthy weight and a strong immune system. Frozen grapes, vegetable kebabs, or strawberry-topped frozen yoghurt are just a few examples of creative ways to serve produce. When it comes to vegetables, some kids do not like bitter or strongly flavoured ones, so serve them steamed broccoli or cauliflower instead. Steaming green beans and zucchini and serving them cold along with baby carrots, celery, and cucumbers will give you a wider variety of raw vegetables and dips to choose from.
- Promoting mindful eating. Discourage kids from staring at screens during meals and encourage them to eat mindfully by being present at the table. Talk about the importance of listening to your body and trusting it.
- Drink water, tea, and other beverages that are good for you. Sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, fruit punch, and fruit drinks are taking the place of more healthful options in people’s diets. Instead, serve plain milk and water as alternatives.
- In bedrooms, remove all televisions and video games. They are more likely to maintain a healthy weight, as well as perform better in school if they get enough sleep at night If you want your child to sleep soundly, you should keep a TV away from their rooms.
The Nurturey PinkBook app is a wonderful tool to keep a track of your child’s development, From child BMI calculator to check up planner and health reports, it is the perfect tool for all parents. Learn more at https://www.nurturey.com/pinkbook_tools
