Tackling child obesity one meal at a time
Local dietitian, Anke van Waveren offers advice on how to set healthy limits when it comes to food
POLOKWANE – Experts across the world established that children of today are not nearly as active as children from the 80’s. Children nowadays spend more time in front of a screen, be it computer, television or cellphone, and less time playing outside.
One of the negative results of inactive children is childhood obesity. Review spoke to dietitian, Anke van Waveren, about this issue.
“First you have to ask yourself what are the key dietary behaviours to prevent childhood obesity? Parents and caregivers should be encouraged to offer healthier food choices, to have healthy food and drink choices available, and to role model healthy habits. Parents should do this in the context of positive parenting and healthy limit setting.”
She explains that force feeding and fighting about food intake causes children to have a negative connotation to food which may increase their risk of developing eating disorders. Parents should teach their children about healthy eating, why they should drink lots of water but only one glass of cold drink or fruit juice. Key aspects of the diet to address include the consumption of fruit, vegetables, juice, meals and snacks eaten away from home, fast food, fat in the diet and energy-dense snack foods.
“Caregivers should be encouraged to offer foods in a structured family-focused environment with all family members present, sit down around a table to eat together in a relaxed atmosphere, and to avoid eating in front of the television. They should be encouraged to allow children to self-regulate their food intake, eating when hungry and stopping when full. Children should be encouraged to focus on internal hunger cues rather than external cues.”
Anke further says that excess parental or caregiver control over children’s eating should be avoided. “Caregivers can facilitate children’s satiation by allowing children to serve themselves, and by considering age-appropriate portion sizes for children. Visit a dietitian in your area to find out about age-appropriate portion sizes or to get advise on healthy eating habits and how to encourage your children to eat healthy.”
To avoid disordered eating or children’s behavioural responses to over-control, caregivers need guidance around feeding practices that support self-regulation of intake by children, including teaching children to choose appropriate portions in the environment of excessive serving sizes.
“Parents should teach children that it is not healthy to order the upsize meal because it’s only R2 more, because the portion sizes are too big for example. Just because it’s available doesn’t mean that you have to order and eat it.”
A second question to be asked is what is the impact of time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing video games or using computers, on the risk of childhood obesity?
“Excessive television viewing and video-game use are associated with an increased risk of overweight or obesity in children and youth. The impact on obesity may be more significant from television watching than video-game use since the hands are free to consume food.”
She says that TV commercials provide a substantial environmental exposure for children. “Advertised foods are typically high in fat, sugar, salt and/or calorie density. Children and adolescents who spend more time watching television tend to request and consume more of these high calorie advertised foods and may acquire unhealthful perceptions about food and nutrition.”
She advises to reduce these sedentary activities as it may improve weight status among children.
