Childhood obesity has detrimental long-term effects on health. Childhood is a learning time, along with other things it is important to teach children how to eat a healthy so that you empower them to make healthy choices.
Prevention is better than cure:
- As a parent you need to start eating healthy.
- Get them used to homemade food with fresh ingredients.
- Letting them eat High salt, sugar and fat foods with no nutrients will teach them to reject fresh flavours.
- Make sure that the child eats servings of vegetables and two Fruits daily.
- Nuts and dry fruits are good snack choices, keep the commercial packaged snacks out of the home.
- Instead of sweetened packed juices give them water, fresh coconut water, milk, lassi, and chaas.
- Limit screen time, for this you also need to reduce yours. Content monitoring is also important. Children pick up habits from audio visual media very quickly.
- A dedicated exercise time, ideally you should also accompany them. Family holidays can include treks, cycling and walking expeditions.
Rupali Datta, RD
Founder Diet Decisions
DDPHN, RD, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER IDA
Consultant Nutritionist
