Obesity is caused by two main factors - an unhealthy
diet consisting of too much sugar and fat (not enough fibre and carbohydrates)
and not enough exercise to burn off the calories that have been consumed.
Around 25% of boys and 33% of girls aged between 2 and 19 years old are in the
overweight/obese category. The increased obesity levels have lead to a rise in
many related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, which is normally related with
much older people.
Many people claim that parents are to blame for their
children's diet and weight; however this is not strictly true. Together with
parental responsibility, there are many other influences such as the society we
live in, the food industry, health care and schools. It is not fair to put the
blame all on parents as they do not have complete control of their child’s diet
at all times. For example, 8-16 year olds spend £549 million a year on sweets,
crisps and fizzy drinks just going to and coming home from school.
Many things can be done to try and reduce the chance
of your child becoming overweight. It has been researched that lack of sleep is
related to obesity and that tired children pile on the pounds much easier than
children who get enough sleep. Tiredness affects 2 hormones that control the
appetite and therefore lack of sleep means a higher risk of eating more food.
Eating in front of the TV also contributes to overeating as it becomes
‘mindless eating’. Ideally, you should be feeding your children foods that are
high in fibre, protein and carbohydrates, low in sugar and fats, natural, not
processed. (See table below)
Try to get your child involved in preparing food to
improve their interest. Also make sure that they are doing regular daily
exercise. Children aged between 5 and 18 should be doing at least 60 minutes of
aerobic exercise per day and this should include moderate intensity exercise
such as walking, vigorous intensity such as running or football, muscle
strengthening activity such as sit ups or gymnastics and bone strengthening
activities such as jumping or climbing.
Meal
|
Instead of
this...
|
Give them
this...
|
Breakfast
|
Large bowl of sugary cereal with semi-skimmed milk and a glass of
sweetened fruit juice
|
Medium bowl of oatibix or oat cereal with semi-skimmed milk, a bit of
honey and/or fruit.
Or, a boiled egg and wholemeal toast
|
Morning break
|
Fizzy drink and a bar of chocolate
|
A piece of fruit such as a banana or apple
|
Lunch
|
Hot dog with fried onions, ketchup and a fizzy drink
|
Jacket potato with tuna or baked beans and chunks of cucumber/ carrot
and a bottle of water. Can include a homemade muffin.
|
After school
|
Large packet of crisps
|
Small packet of mini chedders or a cereal bar like nature valley and a
glass of semi-skimmed milk or yoghurt
|
Dinner
|
Spaghetti Bolognese with white pasta and a slice of apple pie with ice
cream
|
Spaghetti Bolognese with whole-wheat pasta and salad. Plus a piece of
homemade cake or apple crumble
|
Evening
|
Cheese and pickle sandwich with 2 slices of white bread and butter
|
1 slice wholemeal toast with whole-earth sugar free peanut butter or
nutella
|
WINTER NUTRITION - Keep healthy during winter with these nutrition tips!
Vitamin C for winter colds
Why it’s important – vitamin c is vital for supporting the cells of the immune system as they use it to fight off unwanted microorganisms in the body. High levels of vitamin C need to be maintained in order to protect the cells from free radicals that come from bacteria, parasites and viruses.
Where it can be found – citrus fruits, dark green vegetables and other fruits such as strawberries and tomatoes.
Water for dry skin
Why it’s important – During winter, people tend not to drink as much water as they may not feel hot, or perspire as much as they would in the summer. However, water is important to keep hydrated. As well as not drinking enough water, dry skin can also be caused by cold and windy weather dehydrating the skin. Other signs of dehydration include headaches, lack of energy and feeling lightheaded.
Where it can be found – As well as drinking water, water is found in foods, however we should aim to drink 1.2 litres of fluids everyday.
Serotonin for dark day blues
Why it’s important – Serotonin is a ‘feel-good’ hormone and a normal level of it promotes feelings of happiness. Low serotonin levels can result in chronic fatigue, appetite/sleep disturbance, difficulties focusing and concentrating and low self-esteem.
Where it can be found – high quality carbohydrates such as whole grains - this includes sweet potato, pumpkins and squashes. Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, potato and wholegrain pasta are also effective.
Vitamin D for bone health
Why it’s important – During winter months, there is less sunlight and people do not expose their skin as much as in summer. A lack in vitamin D is related to the increased risk in developing osteoporosis, fractures and particularly hip fractures later on in life. Vitamin D is essential for the proper absorption of calcium, bone development, control of cell growth and immune functioning.
Where it can be found – Fish is a very good source of vitamin D, the best fish is Atlantic Herring followed by salmon. Fortified cereals, oysters, salami, ham and sausages also contain decent amounts of the essential vitamin.
Liver cleansing after Christmas over-indulgence
After drinking too much alcohol or overindulging by eating too much food during the festive period, the liver can become overworked. It cannot process toxins and fat in an efficient way. There are many foods that can help stimulate the liver to clean toxic waste from the body.
Foods that cleanse the liver – Garlic is an excellent food for cleansing the liver as it activates liver enzymes and helps your body flush out toxins. Grapefruit is high in vitamin C and antioxidants that increase the natural cleaning processes of the liver. A glass of grapefruit juice will help the production of liver detoxification enzymes that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins. Other good foods for liver cleansing include beets, carrots, green tea and leafy green vegetables.
Natural live yoghurt for a healthy gut
Why it’s important – Natural live yoghurt contains active and living bacterial cultures (probiotics), which contribute greatly towards keeping a healthy gut. As well as aiding the gut, the bacterial cultures help to boost the immune system. The health benefits of the probiotics in natural live yoghurt are that they improve digestion, fight infection, have anti-cancer properties, promotes clear skin and improves cholesterol levels.
Where it can be found – most yoghurts say ‘made with live cultures’ however they need to be active. Look for yoghurts that have ‘contains live cultures’ or ‘contains live probiotic cultures’ in the ingredients. The specific cultures should also be listed, look out for: lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium longum, streptococcus thermophillus and lactobacillus bulgaricus
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