Obesity in children is a serious problem. It is affecting 1 in 4 Australian children and you need to prevent your kids from this hazardous condition if you are responsible parents. Too much body fat can make your kid feel lethargic and can also lead to various health-related problems.
Eating junk food or poor dietary choices is one of the main reasons behind childhood obesity. It is important for parents to take right steps and control the situation as quickly as possible. Encourage them to eat healthy, fibre-rich food and keep their cravings for pizza, burger, ice-cream away if you want to keep your kids in their best form.
How to diagnose Obesity in Kids?
You need to visit a good doctor in Brisbane, QLD if your kid is continue to gain weight. The doctor will take assistance of a BMI percentile chart to know you kid’s weight is healthy as per his/her age or not. BMI or Body Mass Index is calculated as the weight’s ratio in Kgs divided by height in metres.
- Kids with BMIs is around the percentile 5th and 85th, he/she is normal
- A BMI between 85th and 95th is overweight
- If your kid’s BMI is at the 95th percentile or above, it is considered obese.
If your kid is obese, you need to take action immediately and reduce the risk by following these simple tricks and tips.
1. Inculcate Good Eating Habits
Believe it or not! Early childhood nutrition sets the base of what your kids eats and what he/she picks when it comes to eating healthy. Teach them from an early age the importance of eating clean and healthy food.
For instance, if your kid is used to eat rice and not breads, he might continue to pick rice over breads for most of their lifetime. So, include fruits, green vegetables, protein-rich food in their diet and encourage them to eat all on a daily basis.
This will help children adopt a healthy lifestyle if studying away from their family because they know how to choose healthy over unhealthy.
2. Don’t just Pay Attention to Weight Loss
Children’s bodies are in their development phase and that’s why it is not a good idea to follow a calorie-restricted diet. Instead of planning weight loss strategies for young kids, you should pay more attention to developing healthy eating habits and behaviour.
Strict diets may keep your little ones from getting minerals, vitamins and energy they need for their growth.
The best thing you can do is to ask your paediatrician in Brisbane about the right or balanced diet to prevent obesity in your kids.
3. Include Nutritious Food
Balanced, low-fat and healthy food options offer great nutrition to your kids in their developing age. It is good to include whole grains, two vegetables, legumes, dairy like milk and curd, lean meats like chicken and dry fruits in their diets.
Prepare delicious but healthy food that can keep your kids away from junk food. It is also good to include top food to boost their immunity.
4. Review the Portion Size
Overeating is the main cause of obesity. You need to ensure that your kids eat right portions of their meal. It is good to have two three ounces of cooked lean meat or fish in one portion, one slice of break, half a cup of cooked rice, and two ounces of cheese is a perfect diet or portion size for your kid.
5. Keep them active
Make sure your kids engage in at least one hour of physical activity daily. This can be an outdoor game, cycling, running, swimming, dancing, jumping rope, etc. Keep your kids away from indoor games because this could be the reason for their obesity. Let them play around with other kids and enjoy their childhood.
6. Switch Off TV while Eating
Kids tend to overeat when they are watching television. They can gain extra pounds when they munch or snack all day long. So, it is good to create a rule in your home that no TV when eating food. It is always good to create an environment where you kid can actually enjoy his/her food without any distraction.
Conclusion
Incorporate good and healthy eating habits can keep your children away from obesity. Make sure you contact a dietitian in Brisbane who can help you prepare a complete diet chart and help you find out other ways for the growth and development of your children.
