IT’S NEVER TOO LATE: TIPS FOR BALANCED DIET/ ADVICE FOR PARENTS.

Healthy Eating for Lifelong Wellbeing: Proper nutrition in childhood sets the foundation for lifelong healthy habits, supporting overall wellbeing and optimal growth.

Introduction:

Proper nutrition in childhood can reinforce lifelong eating habits that contribute to your children's overall wellbeing and help them to grow up to their full potential and a healthy life. Healthy diet helps children grow and learn. It also helps prevent obesity and weight-related diseases, such as diabetes. The following guidelines will help you give your child a nutritious diet:

• Offer five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• Choose healthy sources of protein, such as lean meat, nuts and eggs
• Serve whole-grain breads and cereals because they are high in fiber
• Broil, grill or steam foods instead of frying them
• Limit fast food and junk food
• Offer water and milk instead of sugary fruit drinks and sodas

As per the age of the child, parents should consider their body demand for certain vitamins and minerals, especially iron and calcium.

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Obesity: The root cause of all the ailments is Obesity. Fast food obesity is the root cause for major diseases that develop in children. Obese children spend more time watching television, eating chips and spend less time in physical activity. Sedentary life leads to mental stress and other emotional disturbances them. Junk foods makes a child feel hungry most of the time as it gives only temporary fullness and makes them hungry most of the time which indirectly leads to overeating wrong foods leading to obesity. Other complications related to obesity are hypertension, Dyslipidemia, Diabetes, Anemia, Poor concentration

Many times, junk foods contain artificial colors which could be inedible, carcinogenic and harmful to the body also affecting the digestive system, hyperactivity in children, lack of concentration. It also lacks in fiber which might lead to constipation in children

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Childs lunch box should be the integral part of his meal in the day. He should be taking wholesome meals which are nutritious and healthy. However, it depends on what foods are being selected by the parents for their meals.

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The years between 6 – 12 years are a time of steady growth, and Good Nutrition should be the highest priority. Most of us have forgotten that the primary reason for eating is nourishment. Enjoying and sharing the meals is totally lost in today’s generation. In many ways, our culture is to foster poor eating habits in children. Television commercials and shopping malls are advertising lots of enticing junk foods with attractive packing and tempting sop.

It is always recommended that children learn to take packed meals or lunch Tiffin’s from home. However, if the schools are providing with the meals, then they consider the nutritional aspects and recommendations of children and plan the meals accordingly. Parents should be more creative in packing the lunch boxes for their children also keeping in mind that the child does not warm the food, hence it’s keeping time and durability of the food.

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All the understood junk foods should not be seen in child’s lunch boxes. Packaged and preserved meals should be avoided. Nuggets, pastries, candies, colas, sugary fruit juices, chips, fatty burgers should be kept away from the child lunch box as it would make the child sleepy during his later part of the study time in school. Children should always be taught to drink lots of water as they are most active in the school.

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In today’s generation, you can’t prevent your child from eating fast foods, but make them take up healthy choices. Few changes which can be inculcated are:

• Cheese toppings on fast foods can be minimized with less cheese and more of vegetables.
• Sandwiches can be made of whole meal breads with grilled or roasted chicken, turkey, and beef. Complex carbohydrates should be the choice as it gives you the feeling of satiety.
• Burgers can have single patty with extra vegetables.
• Grilled, baked, roasted, broiled meats can be a better choice than fried.
• Creams based and ready-made soups can be replaced with plain fresh made soups full of nutrients. Use low calorie or non-fat dressing on your salad.
• Low fat milkshakes or fresh fruit juices can be a best choice over sodas and colas.
• Low fat frozen yogurts, fruit ices become better options as desserts instead of

Ice-creams and custards.

• Water should be the first choice instead of any other drinks.
• Understand the portion size. Large or jumbo sized meals can be replaced with small portions with soups and salads to accompany

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Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Diet

Develop healthy eating habits

To help children develop healthy eating habits:

• Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
• Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products, including cheese and yogurt.
• Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
• Encourage to drink lots of water.
• Limit sugary drinks.
• Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

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Limit calorie-rich temptations

Reducing the availability of high-fat and high-sugar or salty snacks can develop healthy eating habits. Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and low-sugar snacks that are 100 calories or less:

• 1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tablespoons hummus.
• A medium apple or banana.
• 1 cup blueberries or grapes.
• One-fourth cup of tuna wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
• A few homemade oven-baked kale chips.

Stay active

In addition to being fun, regular physical activity has many health benefits, including:

• Strengthening bones.
• Decreasing blood pressure.
• Reducing stress and anxiety.
• Increasing self-esteem.
• Helping with weight management.

Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should be physically active at least 60 minutes each day. Include aerobic activity, which is anything that makes their hearts beat faster. Also include bone-strengthening activities such as running or jumping and muscle-strengthening activities such as climbing or push-ups.?

Reduce sedentary time

Limit the time - watching television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day. Encourage more activity.

Ensure adequate sleep

Too little?sleep ?is associated with obesity, partly because inadequate sleep makes us eat more and be less physically active. 8 hours of sleep is recommended

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IMPORTANT TIPS:

Help Children to Develop Healthy Eating Habits.

Always Try To Get Wholesome, Colorful Meal Options With Proper Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals, Fibers And Fluids.

Try To Restrict On Oily, Fatty, Canned And Preserved Foods, Sweet And Salty Foods.

Always Hydrate Yourself – Take 8-10 Glasses of Water Daily

Exercise Regularly – Make Your Child Play and Do Running, Cycling, Swimming rather Than Sitting In front Of the Television and Computers.

Try To Introduce Healthy And Colorful Meals. Child’s School Tiffin Also Should Be Healthy.

Restaurant Dining Should Be Restricted With Junk and Unhealthy Options Monitoring

SERVICES PROVIDED BY DIETARY DEPARTMENT FOR PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS:

(SCOPE OF SERVICES)

INDIVIDUAL DIET PLAN AND COUNCELLIG DONE AS PER AGE AND GENDER:

·????? Feeding Your Baby the First 12 Months

·????? Weaning Diet for Your Baby

·????? Feeding Your Child - Ages 1-5

·????? Feeding Your Child - Ages 6-9

·????? Feeding Your Child - Ages 10-12

·????? Feeding Your Child - Ages 13 and Older

·????? Feeding a Child with Special Needs

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MEDICAL INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT IF REQUIRED WITH OPINION OF HOSPITAL PAEDIATRICIAN.

REGULAR FOLLOW UP AND CHANGES IN DIET PLAN ADVISED.

DIET CONSULTATION CHARGES: NOT INCLUDED IN INSURANCE

PARENTAL COUNCELLING DONE.

FROM

DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL DIETETICS

Pranita Anand Gavankar (Clinical Dietician)

Magdalena Maksymowicz (Clinical Dietician)