Finding the right balance

theSun, Tue, 10 Aug 2010

CHILDREN are not spared when we see the increasing number of cardiovascular, obesity and diabetes cases around the world, even in Malaysia.

An article on childhood obesity, published in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (March 2004), quoted research by Segal D.G. and Sanchez J.C. (2001) that "after an obese child reaches six years of age, the probability that obesity will persist into adulthood exceeds 50%, and [that] 70% to 80% of obese adolescents will remain so as adults".

The writers also quoted that as increasing numbers of overweight children and adolescents progress to adulthood, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and psychosocial problems are expected to reach epidemic proportions.

While eating out or buying take-away lunches are more convenient options for our busy lifestyles, try to schedule some family meal times for certain meals such as dinner, or on certain days of the week when everyone is available to sit down together for a home-cooked meal.

Eating together not only provides family time for bonding, it also gives you the opportunity to prepare a well-balanced meal for the family. You can work more fruits and vegetables into the menu, and cut down on fried and processed foods.

Eating together also gives you the opportunity to introduce new types of food to younger children. It may, however, require a few attempts and some patience to get junior to eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries for instance.

While carrot and celery sticks, or apples and bananas may be boring compared to a bag of chips or candy, some creativity could change perspectives.

Serve them with healthy dips or accompaniments such as peanut butter, cheese or tomato salsa. And include fruits into your wholemeal pancakes, and diced vegetables into your omelettes for example.

Do not bribe children with candy or junk food. Do not force them to finish everything on their plate if they can’t. This will help them learn to ‘listen’ to their appetite and not overeat when they are older.

Involve your children as much as you can when shopping and preparing food. Take them with you for grocery shopping. Show them the various food you need to complete the food pyramid for a balanced diet. Teach them to read food labels. Tell them the different nutrients your body need and in which types of food they can be found.

If you have a garden, get them involved by planting vegetables they like. Ask them to help you wash, cut, peel and chop when cooking. Children tend to be more interested in eating the food they have helped to grow and prepare.

Healthy eating ideas can also be imparted to children when you role-play with them and when you read books about health and food together with them.

Among some fun titles to pore over are Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!: All About Staying Healthy (part of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library Series) by Tish Rabe, Cookie by Lisa Woomer and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

It is without doubt that parents play an important role in teaching children to eat healthily. When children learn to do this from young, they are more likely to continue this habit as they grow older.