Childhood obesity: 8 key tips so that your child does not have excess weight

Many mothers see their children gain too much weight despite their efforts to grow their children healthily.. Although there are hereditary factors related to this type of affectation, the truth is that the reasons why childhood obesity plagues our societies is another.

Our way of life has been changing a lot in recent generations, and also very particularly in the case of children. A sedentary lifestyle and a change in eating habits are the two main reasons why childhood obesity rates are higher than ever.

Be that as it may, fortunately we can combat childhood obesity and that our children do not get fat thanks to the advice that scientific evidence gives us.

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The 8 basic tips to combat childhood obesity and that your children are not overweight

There is little to do regarding the genetic factor, but the good news is that the specific weight of this factor is very low. It really is in our power to take command to combat childhood obesity

and be proactive especially in terms of diet and sedentary lifestyle. Next we are going to see the 8 fundamental tips to combat childhood obesity.

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1. Prevention already in pregnancy

Before the baby is born, we can act to prevent this problem. Having good habits ourselves promotes that the child is born in a healthy and healthy way.

It is estimated that this prevents problems such as the baby being born with inadequate weights, and it is that the weights are very high or very low will put the child at greater risk of developing the disease of the obesity.

2. Mandatory breakfast

There are children who eat breakfast very badly or do not eat breakfast at all, when it is known that it is the most important meal of the day. After going all night without eating, it is essential for the child (and the adult) to recharge their batteries to face the challenges of a new day.

Obviously, the food profile that is taken is also very important. We emphasize that the child takes fruit, a source of protein that can be dairy, and a source of carbohydrates such as cereals. We also strongly recommend avoiding ultra-processed cereals by the food industry.

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3. Eat as a family

To acquire healthy habits and ensure that healthy food is eaten, it is very important to eat with the family together. around the table. If we do this we can control the profile of the food our children eat.

Our children will internalize that there are the right times to eat and that there is a type of food that the family should eat. They will acquire the habit by avoiding eating inappropriate things between meals, and there is also a fundamental social component in eating together.

4. Light snack

For our child to eat well, it is not necessary that they eat a lot at all meals. The afternoon snack is that moment in which by giving something to the child, we avoid fasting for more than three or four hours, but this should not compromise the intake of lunch or dinner. If the child eats too much during snack, he may not want to eat at dinner.

On the other hand, it is very important to avoid all kinds of processed products from the food industry. Children really like sugary and flashy products at the marketing level, but we should avoid sugary cookies, sugary yogurts, sugary cereals, etc.

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5. Eat in a balanced way

Without a doubt, lunch and dinner should include a type of food that is as healthy as possible. It is possible that the child finds it difficult to get used to certain tastes, but in fact in the matter of food it is not much more than this, a habit.

If the child assumes from a young age that the normal food is soups, salads, fish, fruit, etc. there won't be too many problems. If the child complains and we give him the reason and new less healthy solutions then it will be more difficult to re-educate him. For example, sweets or soft drinks should only be taken on occasions when there is a celebration.

6. Set an example

Sometimes we ask our children to do certain things while we do not do them.. For example, we still ask them to read and we always watch television.

If we want our children to develop healthy habits, parents must lead by example. This obviously includes eating healthy food and exercising. For our children to eat salad and wear sneakers, they should see that we do it too.

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7. Physical exercise

For our children to be able to combat childhood obesity, it is essential that they acquire good habits also by doing physical exercise. We should encourage our children to go out more and interact with other children by playing than by being on the sofa with the tablet or watching the television.

Exercising has many benefits on a psychological and social level, and it also promotes having an adequate weight. This prevents the appearance of several diseases associated with sedentary lifestyle and gaining weight.

8. Consult the specialist

All of the above tips are made from a proven scientific basis and are preventive measures that work if done properly. However, it may be considered appropriate to go to the pediatrician to monitor the child's weight and receive further guidance from the doctor.

In all cases in which the parents notice that the child gains a lot of weight or tires easily, the pediatrician should be consulted. These specialists know how to guide parents in case of childhood obesity.

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Bibliographic references

• Janssen, I., Craig, W.M., Boyce, W.F. and Pickett, W. (2004). Associations between overweight and obesity with bullying behaviors in school-aged children. Pediatrics, 113 (5), 1187–94.

• Videon, T.M. and Manning, C.K. (2003). Influences on adolescent eating patterns: the importance of family meals. J Adolesc Health, 32 (5), 365–373.

• Whitaker, R.C., Seidel, K.D. and Dietz, W.H. (1997). Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. N Engl J Med, 25, 337-350.