It sounds depressing and familiar - over a quarter of Australian children are overweight or obese. But it gets worse. A study published last month shows this baby fat often doesn’t go away. The study published in the journal Pediatrics looked at 4,000 school students in the US. They found nearly all the children who were overweight or obese in grade five remained that way in year 10. It turns out that hoping kids slim down as they grow older doesn’t work out that well. Probably not coincidently, at the same time, a study from the University College of London uncovered data that showed at the beginning of last century children were 50% more active than today. Researchers refer to this as the “global collapse of physical activity”. It affects adults too, but it is children who will bear the consequences into the future. In Australia, by the time children enter prep, 20% are already overweight or obese, and those children are four times more likely than children of an average weight to be obese by grade eight. Just like in adults, once fat is established, losing it becomes a difficult lifelong battle. So it makes sense that more focus is now being placed on the very early years, before the age of five. The aim is to prevent baby fat from even starting, so children begin school fit and healthy, with their potential undimmed by the threat of obesity. So what can parents do to keep baby fat at bay? Parents and carers need to get healthy eating and active play right from birth. Start Early From the beginning, mothers should breastfeed if possible. It’s recommended to avoid feeding babies (and children) fruit juice, as it is filled with unnecessary calories. Early weaning foods should be consistently healthy. Kids may like the salt and fat in chips, but they will grow to love a healthy diet if that is all they know. Get Physical A study from Deakin University found that half of 19-month-olds do not meet the daily physical guidelines for their age group. Babies and young children need plenty of time for active play. That means floor time and gentle movement games from infancy. Sitting in strollers, highchairs and car seats for long periods is not good for children’s health and development and goes against their natural tendency to be active and play. Off and Running Ensuring a child is fit and active from the start is a lifelong gift. When screens are off, children have more time for the active play they need. That can include floor time for infants, crawling games for older babies, walking, dancing and play for toddlers and more structured active play for older kids. Choose toys that encourage reaching, stretching, crawling and moving activities for infants such as balls, pots, streamers and hoops. For toddlers and pre-schoolers, choose toys that encourage movement and develop skills like running, kicking, throwing and catching, such as balls, bats, tricycles and kites. Parents Provide, Kids Decide Parents provide children with a healthy selection of foods and let them decide how much to eat. As a rule of thumb, half of every plate should be vegetables. In the same way, parents should provide a range of active play opportunities and kids decide which activities to engage in. Setting the Example Children learn most from how their parents care for themselves. Parents can set the example by incorporating healthy eating and active play as a regular part of their own lives, so everyone benefits. Encourage Positive Body Image The researchers in the Pediatrics study also looked at the effect of body image on obesity. It turns out the overweight children who were ashamed of their weight were more likely to be obese in year 10 than the overweight children who felt better about their body image. That means parents should talk about healthy habits as opposed to losing weight and make sure their children know they are loved and special for who they are, regardless of their weight. pm Chi ldren’s Hea lth Establishing healthy lifestyle behaviours in under fives By Dr David Pincus Paediatrician, Leading Steps Paediatric Clinic Would you like your little one to start eating better? It’s never too late to make a healthy change! Here, Munchbox Mini shares their top tips for getting kids to eat right. 1 MAKE FOOD FUN! Kids eat with their eyes. If you can make food fun and appealing, they are much more likely to try (and enjoy) it. Cut fresh fruit and vegetables into bite size shapes with small cookie cutters, or make small skewers of fresh fruit and veg – anything on a stick is attractive to kids! 2 TRY AND TRY AGAIN Research has shown that it may take up to 15 tries for children to develop a taste for new foods. Keep offering the new food, alongside a more familiar food for as many tries as it takes for your child to accept it. 3 HIDE AND SEEK For extra assurance that your kids are meeting the recommended daily vegetable quota, try sneaking vegies into meals wherever you can. Add finely diced or grated vegetables to spaghetti bolognese or taco mince, or make a breakfast smoothie of banana, kale or spinach, blueberries, honey, yoghurt and a splash of milk. Breakfast smoothies served in reusable food pouches are also a great idea for a quick and easy breakfast on the run on those busy mornings! For more healthy eating tips, recipes and lunchbox ideas for kids, visit www.munchboxmini.com B a b y L o v e pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 45
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Four
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