Instill healthy living choices
Date :
Thursday, March 18 2010
Source:
Autourina Mains
Childhood obesity has been a focus of the media for quite some time now. The best way to prevent childhood obesity is to instill healthy life choices in your child early on. Parents and care providers are the most influential role models in a child’s life. Taking a whole-family approach is really the best way to help little ones learn about the importance of eating a variety of vitamin rich foods. A family that spends time teaching their child about proper nutrition gives that child knowledge and ability to make good eating choices when away from home
Often times I hear parents say “My child will not eat any fruits or vegetables.” And during our conversation I find out the parents don’t like any fruits or vegetables either. It is easy to see that if the child was not offered a variety of fruits and veggies, he could not learn to like them. So, if you want your child to make healthy eating choices, then be a good role model. This may take a little sacrifice on the parent’s part, but the end result is well worth it.J We have to practice what we preach or children will not value what we preach.
We know that childhood obesity is on the rise and it can be linked to early onset of heart disease, and diabetes. Children are struggling with obesity because they are less active, more sedentary and have high fat, high sugar diets. Though we hear a lot about obesity, we don’t hear as much bout nutritional deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, high and blood pressure. Most common deficiencies in children are: calcium, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E.
Calcium is extremely important to the growing child’s bones and teeth development. Unfortunately as children start school their calcium intake seems to decrease. Spending 8 hours a day in school, they are not getting enough dairy in their daily diet.
Fiber is another very important nutrient missing in our children’s diets. Fiber rich foods like whole grain breads, cereals, fruits and veggies, are essential in keeping the child’s gastrointestinal system healthy. Lack of fiber has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Iron rich foods like meats, dark leafy legumes, and fortified cereals are important to proper growth and development of the child. The blood uses iron to deliver oxygen to the cells, so iron deficiencies can make the child feel tired.
Magnesium, potassium, and folate are found in vegetables and fruits. Bananas, cantaloupe, tomatoes and citrus fruits are rich in potassium. Magnesium is found in fish, beans, nuts, and legumes. Folate or folic acid is found in dark green leafy vegetable such as broccoli, sweet potatoes, beans, and oranges.
Teaching your child about the Food Guide Pyramid is an effective way to help him/her learn about making healthy food choices. When the child understands how his body works and what it needs to work well then making good choices becomes easier. I sometimes tell my little ones car needs gas to run well just like our body needs fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and grains to work well.
Some strategies to support your child’s eating habits include:
- Include your child in meal planning and preparation (write weekly menus)
- Eat family style meals at least 3-5 times a week
- Take your child grocery shopping with you and once a month try a fruit or veggie you have never tried before
- Let your child plan his/her school lunches and let them prepare it (if they are able to)
- Minimize eating out as much as possible
- Grow your own garden, harvest, and can your own food
And just remember that sometimes it takes 30 times of introducing the same food to a child before she develops a taste for it.