Keeping kids healthy

Every parent has heard that there is a childhood obesity epidemic, but few think it would ever be likely to impact on their own child. Sadly, the environment we live in today is obesogenic - meaning there are many factors outside of your own parental control that can impact your child's weight. Nonetheless, there are many changes you can make to your child's diet and physical activity patterns, to help them maintain a healthy body weight and, as I'll discuss later, a healthy mind. I have been working in childhood obesity prevention for almost three years now and throughout this time, I have seen certain dietary and lifestyle patterns that play a key role in allowing obesity to flourish in the paediatric population and others that have helped stop it dead in its tracks. Here I summarise two habits parents can adopt with their children to prevent the pounds piling on, and one habit to avoid completely.

Ditch the calorie-laden beverages

The problem: calorie-laden beverages

Though water should be every child’s main drink, most parents I meet with overweight or obese children are filling Sippy Cups with juices, cordials, soft drinks and even, I kid you not, caffeinated energy drinks, on a daily basis. Putting aside for the moment the highly damaging effect this is having on children’s teeth, these calorie-laden beverages replacing calorie-free water as a child’s main drink is reeking havoc on their waistlines. When asked why they give their children these drinks, their response if typically “because they won’t drink anything else and I don’t want him/her to get dehydrated”. It’s terrific that parents are so aware of their child’s need for a regular fluid intake and they should be applauded for trying different strategies for keeping children hydrated, but, as I’ve seen time and time again, if you make water and milk the only choices, children will adjust and will start to drink them more.

The solution: Children will drink water and milk if that’s all that is available to them. If you’re very concerned at making the transition from juice to water, you can try to monitor their fluid levels throughout the day (or ask their nursery practitioner to do so) over the short-term until you are certain that they are getting enough fluid. As a back up, try filling their lunch-box or dinner plate with high fluid foods, like yogurt, peaches, watermelon, cucumber and soups.

If you’re really concerned or you feel they are already hooked on juices, cordials and squash, try a gradual phase-out programme. Dilute the juice so it’s half water, half juice for a month or two, then gradually reduce it again so it’s ¾ water and ¼ juice, then try making up your own fruity water drinks by chopping up apples and adding mint to a large carafe. Avoid citrus fruits as too much exposure to the acids can harm children’s teeth. If the child is old enough and is seated, they sometimes like to chew ice chips, which can be another way to sneak water into their day.

Extra tip: While switching to the sugar-free or low calorie versions of squashes and soft drinks might be a viable option for adults looking to reduce their calorie intake, artificial sweeteners are not suitable for children, so avoid giving these to your child.

Get kids active

The problem: Underestimating the amount of exercise children need (and overestimating the amount they actually get). When I ask parents and carers if they think their children are active enough, they almost always say to me “Of course! They are always on the move. I can’t get them to slow down”. The reality, however, is that over 90% of children in the UK are not achieving the required amount of exercise to stay a healthy weight and to develop strong healthy muscles, bones and even their brain (yes, exercise is critical for cognitive development). So whilst parents have a perception that their child is constantly exercising, the reality is they are spending far too much time strapped into a car seat, high chair or buggy or on the couch.

The solution: Get them moving more. If your child is under 5 and able to walk, ensure they are moving (i.e. using all their muscles) for three hours a day. Walk them to nursery or get them cycling or scooting, instead of sitting in the car for a five minute drive. Stop using the TV or iPad as a babysitter and let them walk, crawl and run around exploring a safe space. If they are in child care, discuss this with their carer or nursery practitioner. Fin d out what games they like to play and what equipment is available to them during the day to ensure they are getting active. Nurseries in the UK especially are often keen to capture “parent’s voice” so provide them with feedback if you’d like there to be more physical equipment your child enjoys in the setting. If your child is too young to walk, get them engaged in tummy time and water play (supervised of course) to develop their core strength and set them up for a lifetime of sport.

Extra tip: Children under the age of 5 who are able to walk should be engaging in physical activity for 180 minutes a day. Physical activity for children doesn’t need to be a strict form of exercise, like running laps or playing football. Just let children play! As long as they are using their main muscle groups, like their legs, it counts as physical activity. Take them to the park and let them run around with their friends, let them play make believe in the garden, jump on the trampoline or if you’re confined to an apartment, consider buying some soft play equipment so they can roll around indoors.

Bonus: If you join in with them, you’ll be burning calories too! Your child might just be the best personal trainer you’ll ever meet.

Protect your child’s mental health

The problem: talking too much about weight loss diets and body fat

On a final note, as much as I believe childhood obesity prevention is a very important topic for parents to be aware of, it’s not appropriate for children to be focusing on their weight or that of others. In our obesogenic environment, body fat is becoming demonised. As parents and carers, we need to strike a balance. It’s important that children develop concepts of health from a young age and start to gain an understanding of the relationship food has with a healthy body, but we also want to protect children from developing disordered eating patterns. Unfortunately in my work I have seen parents and carers talk in very unhealthy ways about their own body weight to children, and this can have a harmful and long-lasting impact on the child’s relationship with food.

The solution: If we want children to grow up with a healthy relationship with their bodies, we should simply focus on the healthful properties of foods and not talk weight gain or refer to foods as “fattening”. I’ve seen the damage it can do to children when their parents are on restrictive weight loss diets. I’ve seen children as young as 8 referring to themselves as fat and stating they need to lose weight, even when they were a healthy body weight. Whether parents realise it or not, their extreme diet habits could be setting their children up for similarly destructive habits in the future. If you’re looking to lose weight yourself, it’s better not to mention this to children, as they can grow up with a warped sense of body image. If you’re on a weight-loss kick and a child is asking questions about it, explain that you are trying to eat healthier and ensure you get enough vitamins from a balanced diet. Talk about the foods you are trying to eat more of (like fruits and vegetables, lean meats, high fibre wholegrains, legumes and low fat dairy) and explain they are full of the vitamins and minerals you need to be strong and healthy. If you’re trying to eat less of certain high-calorie foods, you can explain to your child that you’re eating fewer sugary foods because they are “sometimes foods” and can damage your teeth, rather than referring to such foods as “fattening”, “sinful” or “junk”.

Balance is key to helping your child grow up with a healthy body and healthy mind. I hope these tips prove useful. Check this blog again in the future as I will continue to provide child nutrition advice.