There is a staggering increase in childhood obesity that only grows year by year. And, it is the parents and caregivers who have to play an active and effective role in preventing this.
While there are many reasons for it, the most common is centred around poor eating habits and lack of adequate physical activity.
What we need to do as caregivers is teach our children the basics of healthy eating and motivate them to enjoy physical activity on a daily basis.
Here are a few things to keep kids healthy, happy and energetic.
Diet: Give your kids an early advantage. You can start including fruits and vegetables in their diet right from when they are two or three.
Actively discourage fast food and aerated drinks, chocolates and fried food.
Avoid taking kids to the supermarket, especially to the junk food shelves because temptations are inevitable.
Exercise It is important to have a regular physical routine. Take them to a sports store and allow them to explore their interests. Encourage them to engage in the sport of their choice while they are still young.
They will come to recognise that sport is both enjoyable and essential for them to keep fit too. Happily, sports is becoming a profitable career option these days and it is not limited to cricket alone.
Children who are physically active on a regular basis reap enormous benefits. Studies have shown that they are:
Less likely to become overweight
Less prone to developing type two diabetes/high cholesterol/high blood pressure
Less likely to have incidences of depression and anxiety, and are more self confident
More likely to build strong bones and muscles
More attentive in school
So there you have it. Although the task may seem a bit daunting at first, as long as you keep a positive frame of mind, you’ll be able to help your child to avoid obesity and build a healthy future.
Get them up and moving. Here’s how:
Focus on fun You don’t have to call it ‘exercise’ just consider it an activity. Find out which ones your child likes and encourage those.
Limit television and video games The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends no more than one hour of daily media exposure for children ages two and above. Even when they are watching or playing on-screen, ensure they take breaks and move around.
Schedule play dates The key word here is “play.” Have your child get together with a friend and play a game, race down the block or just kick a ball around.
Get fit as a family Create funny dance moves. Put up a net and shoot hoops. You could also visit a zoo, play miniature golf or enjoy other activities where a lot of ground is covered on foot.
Choose fitness-oriented gifts For your child’s next birthday, consider giving him or her a jump-rope, mini-trampoline, hula-hoop, foot ball, pair of a good sports shoes, bicycle... something that will encourage movement.
Clean up Chores don’t have to be a bore. Sing a silly song with your child as you both wipe tables and counters. See how long both of you can hold a funny face while folding and putting away clothes. Older kids can help wash the car. On a hot day, this can turn into water play if you don’t have access to a swimming pool.
Skip the mall Go to the playground. When the weather is nice, enjoy a local park or playground. Fresh air always does good, especially for the little one.
Be a role model It’s much easier to motivate kids to be active, if you lead an active lifestyle. Whether you follow a structured fitness program or are lucky to get in some morning stretches, let them see you moving. It will likely inspire them to do the same.
Encourage walking or biking whenever feasible This is easy to accomplish if you live near stores, libraries or other places you visit regularly.
If you live in a remote area, establish a safe route to tour on bike or on foot with your child.
Running games Teach your children to play “Hide and Seek, or keep it simple by establishing a friendly competition running from one side of the neighbourhood park to the other.
Create your own Olympic Games Who has the fastest time running from one tree to another? How many high jumps can you do in one minute?
Be a fitness advocate at your child’s school Do you know how much physical activity your child gets at school? Now’s the time to find out. If you don’t like the answer, gather support from other parents to enforce positive change.
All children age two and above should participate in a minimum of at least 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderate-intensity physical activities every day. These activities should be developmentally appropriate and varied.
Any concerns about your child’s physical, emotional development and overall health should be discussed with their paediatrician.
Discuss the consequences Another way that you can combat obesity is by talking to your kids about the potential harm obesity can cause.
Explain this when your child is old enough to understand so that he or she can see the relation between eating unhealthy to major health concerns such as strokes and heart attacks.
Bhaskar is a fitness professional. Read more about fitness on his website >www.60minuteworkouts.com
