A sedentary lifestyle, video games and electronic devices, as well as junk food and sweets spread the obesity pandemic, which is ravaging global health, to children. Some simple measures, such as playing games that involve physical activity and leading by example, could help us keep our children from being overweight.
Andrea Marqués, nutritionist at the European Medical Institute for Obesity (IMEO), explains how.
• Participation at the table. A good start is to create responsibility in the child for what she/he eats. The little one will love being a part of the list he makes to prepare the menu of the week.
• Balanced breakfast. Prioritize slow-absorbing foods, such as apple, fig, peach or plum, dairy, legumes and vegetables, eggs, fatty meats, and nuts. This is key to keeping him active at school.
• Always active. Walking the dog, helping with shopping, playing in the park or riding a bicycle are activities that gain sedentary lifestyle, but these must be complemented by sports discipline; Take advantage of the respective football and baseball seasons to encourage them to play frequently, and under your supervision or that of an adult.
• Permanent hydration. To complete the virtuous circle, it is key to keep the child hydrated, as well as getting them to sleep between 9 and 10 hours a day for cell repair.
• Food is not a judge. Never use food as a reward or punishment, because the child could associate sweets as good foods and fruits or vegetables as bad foods.
MENU FOR A CHILD
Nutritionist Andrea suggests the following menu for infants:
Five meals a day. Distributed in the main three (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and 2 secondary (mid-morning and snack).
Five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, including vegetables
Four daily servings of carbohydrates. Cereals, bread, pasta, rice, legumes or potatoes, taken at all meals except dinner.
Three daily servings of protein and dairy. Fish, eggs, meats and dairy, rich in calcium and vitamin D that participate in the formation of bone structures during growth.
Two daily servings of healthy fats. Nuts and olive oil.
A weekly ration. The consumption of pastries, sweets, soft drinks and chips (snacks), should be limited to one to two servings per week, due to its addictive power and high doses of sugar.
THE MEMORY OF THE PALATE “From 2 to 12 years old, children learn the eating habits that will influence them, consciously and unconsciously, the rest of their lives, establishing complex neural bridges that will make them deepen their tastes towards one or the other. foods that, from adolescence, will be more difficult to change ”.
