The number of obese children in the United States has been steadily rising for the past two decades. Obesity in childhood poses a number of health risks for an infected child, not only immediately but also in the future. Parents, guardians and teachers can help children maintain a healthy weight by developing healthy eating habits and limiting calorie-rich foods. They also want children to be physically active, have less screen time and get adequate sleep on a daily basis.
The goal of overweight children is to reduce the rate of weight gain as well as maintain normal growth and development. Remember that parents or guardians should never think of putting children on a weight loss diet without the advice of a qualified doctor. The US National Institutes of Health offers some suggestions in this regard.
*Promoting healthy eating habits
To help children develop healthy eating habits:* Give children plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
* Include low-fat or non-fat milk and dairy products, including cheese and yogurt, in your baby's diet.
* Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, pulses and beans to give children protein.
* Limit the use of sugar and saturated fats.
* Encourage children to drink plenty of water.
* Limit sugary artificial drinks and juices.
*Limit calorie rich foods
Limiting the availability of excess fat, sugar and salt can help your children develop healthy eating habits. Allow your children to eat these foods only infrequently so that they can actually take such foods as a 'treat'. The following are simple examples of low-fat, sugary, and salty foods based on 100 calories or less.* 2 tablespoons hummus with a cup of carrots, broccoli or capsicum
* Average apple or banana
* A cup of blueberries or grapes
* A quarter tuna in salad leaves
* A few pieces of cabbage cooked in the oven
Children 3 to 5 years old should be active all day. Children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17 should be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day. Incorporate aerobics or other such activities into children's lives to make their heart beat faster. Also, include bone strengthening activities such as running or jumping and muscle strengthening activities such as climbing or doing push ups. Remember that children imitate their adults. Start incorporating physical activity into your routine and encourage your child to join you.
*Leaving idle time
Although quiet time is required for reading and homework, allow children to spend some time each day watching television, playing video games or on the web, but not more than 2 hours. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend watching television for children 2 years of age or younger. Instead, encourage children to explore recreational activities with family members or on their own.*Ensuring adequate sleep
Lack of sleep leads to obesity. One reason for this is that insufficient sleep forces us to eat more and be less physically active. Chronic sleep deprivation and consequent sleep deprivation and impotence during the day are a major threat to success in adulthood, health, and the safety of the nation's youth and a major public health issue.Children need more sleep than adults and this amount varies with age. Details of the amount of sleep recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society for different ages are as follows:
Adolescents between the ages of 4 months and 12 months are recommended 12 to 16 hours of sleep in 24 hours, 11 to 14 hours for children 1 to 2 years, and 10 to 13 for preschool children 3 to 5 years. Hours, 9 to 12 hours for 6 to 12 year olds, 8 to 10 hours for teens 13 to 18 years and 7 hours or more in 24 hours for people over 18 are recommended.