How difficult it is to get into a supermarket with the kids in tow because we don't even get into the parking lot and they are already dreaming and asking for the treats they love so much.
Parents have the difficult task of selecting what is important to give their child, and what will bring their happiness. Who has never gone through this situation? These moments cause great distress to parents who select what they should or should not put in their shopping cart.
On the other hand we see that these treats are part of many families, that by not worrying or even using the sweets and snacks as a way to calm their children, even because they have no limits, increases the growing statistics of the childhood obesity in Brazil.
It gets even more complicated when parents have gone from being accustomed by their parents to eating in abundance, and snack foods, snacks and sweets were part of their life story.
According to a survey that has just been conducted in São Paulo by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), this revealed that 80% of Brazilian children ingest sugar above the level recommended by nutritionists. What's more, meanwhile, 89% consume fat beyond the standards considered healthy.
? These data only confirm that the Child obesity It has become an epidemic due to changes in the eating habits of children and the general population. Genetics is an important factor in children's obesity, but there is no obesity if there is no imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure? Says pediatrician Lilian G. Zaboto, member of ABESO's Department of Child Obesity.
An important point to mention is that parents are role models for their children and it is imperative that they organize themselves to serve foods that are appropriate and healthy for their children, and also behave so that they see that their parents also behave. properly in relation to food. Many charge their children for behaviors that they themselves do not follow, making the situation confusing in their minds.
In this way we can think about both the diet and the practice of physical activities. How can we want our children healthy if we do not serve them as an example?
According to the Family Budget Survey (POF), overweight among 5 to 9 year olds rose from 10.9% in 1974 to 34.8% in 2009. Among girls in the same age group, overweight increased from 8.6% in 1974 to 32% in 2009.
Simple attitudes can change these statistics by improving the health of our children, starting with a change in the quality of table foods, such as snacks. Nothing is difficult when we propose changes that can be gradual, preserving the taste and look of the prepared dishes.
Being able to stop and reflect on the dynamics of the house, the habits we plant can be an effective way, and there are plenty of websites with recipes and strategies for achieving these changes, and nothing better than starting now, reaping health and happiness indoors.
Preventing Childhood Obesity – Eating Better, Moving More (March 2024)
- Children and adolescents
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