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According to WHO forecasts, if the current trend continues, 70 million children will be overweight or obese in 2025. In 2013, the volume was mentioned by 42 million, so this projected increase is staggering. What can be done to prevent my baby from gaining excessive weight?

According to WHO forecasts, if the current trend continues, 70 million children will be overweight or obese in 2025.1In 2013, there was talk of 42 million 2so this predicted increase is alarming, says Konrad Gaca, an obesity expert. What can be done to prevent my baby from gaining excessive weight?

Almost 60 percent adult Poles are overweight or obese. This disease also affects every third school-age boy and every fifth girl - according to research by the Food and Nutrition Institute3 . It depends on what model of nutrition and leisure activities we instill in children in their early years of life whether they will be he althy as adults. So the parents have a huge responsibility. Konrad Gaca suggests what rules should be introduced to protect your kids from overweight and obesity.

First of all: a balanced diet

The most important thing is regularity: 4-5 meals a day at fixed times.Let's not skip any meals, especially breakfast. On the other hand, light protein products are perfect for dinner. A child's daily menu must include all the nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. As Konrad Gaca, a nutritional specialist, says: it is worth choosing the highest-quality ingredients, i.e. protein derived from good-quality meat and milk, which is rich in calcium, which is responsible for building strong bones and teeth. If the sugars are complex ones, e.g. from wholemeal flour products, because they guarantee a feeling of satiety for a longer time. Every day children, regardless of age, should also eat several portions of vegetables, preferably unprocessed, because this guarantees them the optimal dose of vitamins.

What about fruit? The expert convinces: The best are the seasonal ones, because then they are the freshest, and therefore rich in micronutrients. However, it should be remembered that fruits contain large amounts of fructose, i.e. sugar, monosaccharide. Excessive consumption of fructose may increase the appetite. Because fructose stimulatessecretion of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for the feeling of hunger, but on the other hand, it does not stimulate insulin to produce leptin, so the feeling of fullness does not come. As a result, after eating too much fructose, we still feel like eating more, preferably high-energy snacks - the specialist warns - and this is a simple way to gain weight. To prevent fructose from being deposited as adipose tissue, fruit is best given to children in the first half of the day, she adds.

The Institute of Mother and Child warns that too much fructose in a child's diet may impair the absorption of, for example, zinc and iron, so remember to be moderate in terms of sweet fruits and juices4 . The most of this sugar is contained in, among others, grapes, bananas, pineapples or cherries, therefore their consumption should be limited.

Reduce s alt and sugar

An important but difficult task is also to limit s alt and sugar in the diet. In many ready-made products we can find a lot of s alt, even in those whose taste does not indicate it, e.g. sweets. - That's why it's so important to read labels, carefully check the products we give our children - says Gaca. S alt retains water in the body, its main component is sodium, which is responsible for water management. When there is too much of it, it binds water in the tissues, which may increase our weight. Its excess in the diet also leads to hypertension and heart disease. Sugar, on the other hand, provides us only with empty calories, so it is worth limiting it. Of course, everything is smart, it's normal for children to eat sweets - adds Gaca. However, it is worth limiting them to specific days and amounts, so that you can constantly control it and not replace meals with sweets.

Water - mandatory!

- To maintain a he althy body weight, there is probably no more valuable habit than drinking water regularly, says a nutritional specialist. Meanwhile, according to research, as many as 43% of parents believe that the best drink for children's development is fruit juices5 . Of course, juices are he althy, but you should pay attention to their composition and read the labels carefully. Many foods that aren't really juices, but drinks or nectars, have high levels of sugar added. If we want to provide the child with he althy juices - it is worth putting on those freshly squeezed fruit at home - says Gaca. When it comes to irrigation, water will always be your best daily choice. Drinking it regularly makes our metabolism work efficiently, and toxins are removed from the body on an ongoing basis. The water, however, is not very attractive to children. What to do in that case? It can be varied: a few mint leaves ora slice of lemon can turn mineral water into a tasty and refreshing drink.

Activity as a he althy habit

Another important point is physical activity. In the context of children's development, the Ministry of He alth notes that activity is not only regular sports, but also the general daily activities that we perform, e.g. walking or cleaning. Among the benefits of physical activity at a young age, he mentions, among others, supporting physical and mental development, hardening the body or even treating diseases such as diabetes or bad posture6 .

- There is a big difference between playing sports professionally and being physically active every day. The habit of being active in itself is worth instilling in children from an early age - convinces Konrad Gaca. So let's teach children that it is worth climbing the stairs to the third floor, and that it is better to go to a nearby store than by bus than by bike. Such small habits introduced in childhood pay off with age.

Regeneration as important as movement

Life balance is the key to a happy life, so let's not forget to find time in your child's day plan for effective rest. Every child should have time during the day for carefree play. Extra-curricular activities are important, but it is worth balancing their number so that you also take care of your child's rest. Sleep is very important both for a child's development and weight. The American organization "National Sleep Foundation" has calculated on the basis of studies that children aged 6-13 years old need 9 to 11 hours of sleep to develop properly. - Properly long sleep has an impact not only on refreshing the mind, but also on the body's resistance and metabolism - comments Konrad Gaca.

Motivation and pattern

Equally important as all the above items is to give an example. Children copy and repeat our behavior with perfect accuracy; lifestyle, eating habits and a form of relaxation - convinces Gaca. It is worth showing by your own example that a he althy lifestyle is the best investment in the future; drinking water is important, exercise can be fun, and meals should be regular.

Bibliography

1. WHO data on childhood obesity http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/2. As above 3. Food and Nutrition Institute, http://www.izz.waw.pl/pl/strona-gowna/3-aktualnoci/aktualnoci/589-naukowcy-opracowani-effeczna-metode-walki-z-otyloscia. 4. A guide for the Institute of Mother and Child for download: http://www.imid.med.pl/images/do-pobrania/poradnik.pdf 5. Research results 2015: http://www.sp28.miastorybnik.pl/ogloszenia/15_16 /wwks.pdf6. Recommendations of the Ministry of He alth:http://www.mz.gov.pl/zdrowie-i-profilaktyka/zdrowie-matki-i-dziecka/zdrowie-ucznia/aktywnosc-fizyczna-i-sport/

Important

Poradnikzdrowie.pl supports safe treatment and a dignified life of people suffering from obesity. This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content of people suffering from obesity.

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Obesity