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Nutrition Tips for Children

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Childhood obesity has been a problem in many countries. While chubby children can be cute, they can become sickly, if not monitored. It has been found, for example, that obesity causes diabetes. This makes children susceptible to things like the flu.

Apart from these physical health concerns, a child or a teen’s nutrition is important in keeping him or her confident and happy. This is not to say that a chubby child is immediately unhealthy or that a skinny child is healthy. Weight problems are determined by computing a child’s body mass index in relation to his or her age. In this light, parents should remind children that people who excel in sports, dance, and other popular fields are those with the best training, nutrition, and emotional support.

There are also many factors to a child’s weight loss or weight gain problems. These could be the environment at school, the family’s eating habits, or access to good food and nutrition. Thankfully, many local and national governments are supporting parents and families in their quest to encourage fitness and health in children. Actions like banning or lessening sugared drinks have been passed as law.

Within their own families, parents should look into their kids’ habits. Teenagers, for example, tend to eat out a lot. They do this at malls, fast food joints, and their friend’s houses. They only eat particular kinds of food like pizza and burgers. They are also afraid to try new cuisines.

At home, parents can teach children to eat nutritious fruits and vegetables by hiding them in fun foods. For example, they can mix in mashed peas and carrots into mashed potatoes. They can also present healthy nutritious foods in exciting ways. Try making an easy, healthy breakfast burrito. Sautee chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped sausages, and scrambled eggs in olive oil. Mix these with cheese, canned corn, and salsa and then spoon them all into tortillas. This recipe is great because it gives kids their dose of vitamin E, protein, dairy, vegetables, and grains, which they need for their age.

Close the meal off with a healthy dessert of berries mixed with honey, yogurt, and cream cheese. This will help them meet their daily fruit requirement.

When cooking meals for children, parents can also control their portions. Parents should teach about portions by likening an ounce of food to, say, a ping pong ball or four dice. This, and getting them involved in the processes of growing, buying, and preparing food will give them an awareness of how it should be used as a fuel for health and fitness.

Encouraging children to do physical activities and exercises is key. Getting them to put down their technological gadgets and to go outside and play sports or street games will help them lose excess weight, build muscle, and develop immunity. It will also help them socialize and bond with family and friends.