A question for many parents is whether children can do diet. overweight and obesity problems are increasingly common these days, and many parents wonder what can be done to reverse this situation. Is the diet really recommended to overcome cases of overweight and obesity? What can caregivers do to improve the health of these children?
The fact is that the ideal is that we take care of our children's health so that this situation of weight gain it never occurs, however, when it does, we must treat it responsibly to avoid problems futures.
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childhood overweight and obesity
Currently, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 41 million children under the age of 5 are obese or overweight in the world. This number is quite high and generates an alert about how the food of our children and whether they are adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
The high rates of overweight and obesity reflect the current society, which encourages an increasingly unhealthy diet and sedentary behavior. Parents' hectic routines, which often prevent them from preparing meals at home, and easy access to
fast food, for example, expose the child to a food rich in fats, sugars and sodium, foods that shouldn't be eaten too often.In addition, many children spend a large part of their day in front of the television, video games or even using smartphones, being observed, therefore, a reduction in activities that promote greater caloric expenditure.
Childhood overweight and obesity are serious problems, as they also affect the individual's adult life. According to the Ministry of Health,
“the consequence of childhood obesity for adult life is the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, who can kill early in the period of high productivity in adulthood.”
Read too: Childhood obesity - serious health problem that affects children around the world
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Can a child go on a diet?
Given the situation of childhood overweight and obesity that we face, many parents try to reverse the situation by making children perform diets restrictive to achieve weight loss. However, it is essential to make it clear that cutting certain foods from the child's diet can harm your development. In addition, demanding that the child not gain weight and criticism about their appearance can trigger eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. Therefore, it is essential that this entire situation is handled with care and responsibility by the parents or guardians.
The first point when noticing that the child is having a weight gain is to seek a pediatrician to assess whether the weight is in accordance with the child's age and size. In the face of overweight or obesity, the help of a nutritionist should be sought so that this professional can assess the child's diet and establish a way to achieve a calorie-reduced diet, but one that provides the child with all the nutrients he or she needs to be able to grow properly healthy.
Unlike what many people think, improving the diet is not necessarily excluding certain foods. It's all a matter of balance and moderation. In addition, completely removing one type of food, especially those that the child likes, can do compulsion episodes to appear when the child has the opportunity to eat that product again. The best, therefore, is to carry out a nutritional education.
Besides the food improvement, another important point is encourage the practice of physical activities by the child. It is noteworthy, however, that it is also necessary to carry out a prior assessment so that the doctor can assess whether the child is able to perform certain physical activities. In order for the child to feel stimulated to carry out an activity, it is essential that something be proposed that arouses their interest.
Read too: Why shouldn't children go to school without breakfast?
Simple Tips to Avoid Childhood Obesity
Don't let your child skip meals.
Avoid sugar, soda, candy, snacks and sweets, especially in the first years of life.
Offer fruits and vegetables daily.
Encourage the practice of physical activities.
Respect the child's satiety.
Be an example.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Can children go on a diet?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/saude-na-escola/criancas-podem-fazer-dieta.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
