Parenting is difficult, but it can be even more challenging to be a parent during a pandemic. It’s easy for healthy nutrition to be overlooked or to become secondary in the midst of virtual learning, remote work, and safety concerns.
India is experiencing epidemic levels of childhood obesity. India is home to 14.4 million obese kids, making it the second-most populous country in child obesity next to our neighboring country China. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is 15%. The incidence of obesity in private schools for families with higher incomes has risen to 35% to 40%, which is a worrying trend.
The causes of childhood obesity
An imbalance in energy expenditure and calories consumed is the main cause of childhood obesity. Indians are predisposed to obesity. The rapid rise in childhood obesity can be attributed to environmental factors. Economic prosperity can lead to a shift in diet from traditional to modern foods high in fat and sugar. Urbanization causes an increase in sedentary living and decreases physical activity.
Water is the best choice
Many children are attending school virtually from their homes, despite the closure of schools this year. Children can now eat and drink what they want without the restrictions of traditional classrooms and their scheduled snack and lunch breaks. Students no longer have to raise their hands to get water from the fountain. Instead, they can choose their beverage of choice throughout the day and its juice more often than not. While many parents turn to juice as a serving of fruit for their kids, most juices, like soda, are sweetened with added sugars and strongly linked to childhood obesity. Juices high in sugar are the most common source of added sugars found in Indian diets. They are also associated with heart disease and type 2 Diabetes. Drink water throughout the day to help your child keep a healthy weight. Children and teens should consume six to eight cups of water per day. You can fill up a reusable water container for your child to ensure that they have water at all times. You can encourage your child’s thirst by letting them choose a bottle with a fun design or getting stickers to decorate it.
Make healthy snacks in advance.
Working from home with kids, you often dream of making healthy snacks and cooking with them during the day. To keep them occupied while you work, most parents often give them fast, processed snacks. To prevent this, try having a wide array of healthy snacks already prepared earlier in the week to pass them out quickly if needed. Include carrots and sunflower butter, raw broccoli, and pepper slices. These snacks don’t have to be complicated. These snacks should be quick and simple to make to choose the healthier option as your default choice.
Physical education should be prioritized
The screen seems to have a significant impact on our child’s development. Their children log in to their classrooms online and cannot participate in even the most basic physical activities like walking to school or playing with friends. You are most likely experiencing the same fate if you work remotely. So why not try something new for you and your kids? You can counter this by incorporating 20 minutes of home physical education (anything counts) into your daily routine. You can do family yoga in the living room, a dance-off with your children, or even play tag outside. You can make a game out of almost anything and try to make it a part of your family’s daily routine. This is a wonderful way to get away from the computer and be active with your kids.
Talk to your child’s primary caregiver
Your child must attend their wellness check-ups. This will ensure they are current on all immunizations and meet their developmental milestones. Also, it will help to identify and treat any health problems before they become more serious. Your child’s primary physician will assess their height and weight and inform you if they fall behind their growth expectations. Don’t panic if your child starts to become overweight or obese. This isn’t a sign of poor parenting. It’s a normal consequence of the pandemic many families are experiencing. Your child’s primary caregiver is available to guide you through the pandemic and help you develop new strategies to help your child return home to a healthy and happy weight.
- Children can see what their parents eat. Healthy eating includes consuming more fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain, and nuts. Limiting fat intake and shifting fat consumption away from saturated fats is a good idea. After the age of 2, whole milk can be replaced with skimmed milk. Fresh foods are encouraged. Fast food is high in salt, sugar, and fats and should only be consumed on special occasions and weekends. Overeating and snacking are major causes of excess calories. Growing children should have healthy snack options.
- Children learn healthy eating habits and how to prepare meals. Children learn how to control their eating habits and can be coerced or forced into it. Children should eat only when they feel hungry and not when they feel tired or bored. It is important to discourage the use of food as a reward.