Child Nutrition: How To Avoid Adolescent Obesity?
Introduction
Adolescence is the growing period of any child. They need the right amount of nutrition and exercise to grow. But they don't know the rights and wrongs of healthy eating.
Children are fussy eaters. But as a parent, it becomes our responsibility to give our children the best nutrition and care we can. This will help them grow stronger and faster. Because eating right is the first step towards a healthy lifestyle.
Children are very active at their age. Even we were. So, if your child is lazy and avoids physical activities, or gets tired often. It is time to change his/her lifestyle. Talk to your child and find reasons behind such behavior.
Cravings Are Normal
Children will always be moody with their eating habits. And at this age, it is normal to crave. However, if we as parents understand their cravings and give them tasty food which is also healthy, they won't say no.
We at iCure Diet Clinic provide tasty recipes that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Our recipes are loved by children because they find them tasty. Parents love it because their children have started eating healthy.
Check our best results of Child Nutrition and Weight Loss.
Calorie Counting Is Not Important
Before jumping into the topic of how to avoid obesity in children, I would clarify that this is not about stopping them to eat. Weight loss in children is completely different from adults. What works for adults may not work for children.
One of the most common weight loss techniques in adults is calorie counting. As a child, they need more energy than adults because it's their growing age. You cannot cut out calorie intake in children as this could hinder their growth.
Physical activities are more important than counting how much food you put in your child's body. Your child can have a larger appetite than others at similar age and still be skinny. Or vice versa.
Avoiding junk food and giving them exercise can do miracles. In olden times, we used to play outside and that was all we needed. That kept us healthy. But today times have changed.
The screen time has increased. Children are now stuck to their couches with no physical activities. This has increased child obesity. This long screen time can be avoided by us to give them more time to play.
The Problems That Come With Obesity
Obesity is the root cause of so many health problems. The longer a person is obese, the more risk is of getting diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, blood vessel diseases, gut health diseases, etc. So, the prevention of obesity becomes very important.
A child with unhealthy eating habits is more likely to fall ill than a child eating healthy. The right child nutrition will keep them away from seasonal sickness. Improving their food habits will naturally improve their immune system.
Steps To Avoid Obesity In Your Child
It is important to nullify something bad before it happens. The same goes for obesity. Here are some steps that you can follow to avoid obesity from happening.
- Provide the right nutrition: Inculcating the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibres in your child's food will keep them fit and healthy. Occasional junk food is okay. But this should not affect their interest in eating healthy.
- Keep them busy: Giving them physical activities that will keep them moving is important. Playing in the garden, cycling, swimming, etc is something they should do apart from studying and playing with their gadgets.
- Change with them: A family that eats healthy together stays healthy together. You cannot expect your children to eat healthy when people around them are eating unhealthy food all the time. So, healthy eating should start with the entire family.
- Involve them with new recipes: Children will love to eat something of which they are a part of. Never stop your child from helping you cook food with you. Ask for their help even if it is menial. This will also help you bond with them.
- Make a healthy alternative: A healthy alternative to junk food can do wonders. And in no time, your child will start loving your food.
- Don't use food: Using food as a means to bring manners to your child is a bad idea. Rewarding them with food when they are good or keeping them hungry when they don't listen to you will negatively affect their health.
- Snack on fruits: The best thing about fruits is that no child hates it. Fruits are tasty and healthy too. So snacking on fruits instead of packaged food is the best way of making positive changes.
- Make them drink water: Water is the best beverage. It increases metabolism and Improves digestion. Encourage your child to drink water.
- Be their role model: Children look up to their parents and learn from them. If you start eating healthy and exercising daily, they will eventually follow you. This will also inculcate morals in them.
- Consult an expert: Expert advice can never do any harm. If you are worried about your child's health, never shy away from consulting a dietitian or a nutritionist. An expert will always give you the best advice for your child.
Conclusion
Our lifestyle has become busy. Sometimes we ourselves don't get time to eat correctly and exercise. And thus it becomes difficult for us to do the same for our children.
Time management skills are very necessary amongst working parents so that the children aren't neglected. Teaching children the good and bad of anything must be done by all members of the family.
Eating healthy is challenging but necessary. So many diseases can be stopped from infecting you or your child just by eating right. So taking advice is necessary.
Dt. Krishna at iCure Diet Clinic has helped adults and children lose weight healthily. This was done without the use of any harmful pills, chemical liquids or starvation.
So, if you want to start making healthy lifestyle choices, make positive changes in your and your child's health, start following the above-mentioned steps.
These steps will serve you as a guideline. And for any detailed information, you can feel free to consult iCure Diet Clinic.
