How to avoid obesity in children?

What can we do for a child who is prone to obesity?

• In the first place, the child and the whole family must have the desire, will, and motivation to solve the problem.
• Let’s certainly not talk about diets. Diets don’t make sense for adults, let alone children. As soon as we forbid something (e.g. chocolate), the child will logically crave that much more. We all know it - forbidden fruit tastes best. It is definitely better to speak to your child about a healthy lifestyle that should last for the rest of our lives. There is no such thing as healthy food and unhealthy food. It’s always just a matter of healthy and unhealthy amounts/portions/frequency. The sooner one understands this, the better.
• The psyche in childhood is extremely fragile, which is why we must approach the child with caution. You don’t want your child to develop a bad relationship with food, which can develop into eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, orthorexia, etc.).
• We should definitely support the child, help them, advise them, and serve as a role model. After all, where do children mainly get their eating habits from? Parents and close family above all. They usually repeat what they see in their parents. Hence, if a parent doesn’t eat breakfast, then has a chocolate wafer as a snack, washes it down with a coke, and lays on the couch in front of the TV all day, what kind of signal does that send to the child? That it’s okay, and the child unfortunately often repeats the pattern.
• However, do feel free to involve your child in cooking, baking, and meal preparation. The child will see that cooking is fun, that even healthy food can look and taste good, and most importantly, you will spend some time together.
• The basis of everything is definitely food. The diet should be varied, regular (about 5 times a day - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner), balanced, and focused on high-quality and nutritious foods. The diet should contain all the important macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) that the child needs as they grow up.
• Ideally, the family should eat together at least a couple of times a week. This leads to improved eating habits for the whole family. The child should always take their time at mealtimes, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, not gobble, and try to recognize the feeling of fullness.
• Teach children to eat vegetables from infancy (first cooked, then raw) and fruits. Children should definitely know that fruits and vegetables belong in a proper diet!
• Of course, a good diet should not be lacking in lean meat and fish. It is better to limit fatty meats and sausages (dry salamis, wieners, pâté, sausages...). Suitable meat products include premium quality ham with a high percentage of meat content.
• We can also include milk and dairy products (yoghurt, quark, kefir, buttermilk, cheeses...). We should limit the amount of added sugar in dairy products. For example, plain yoghurt can be eaten with fruit, nuts, seeds, oats...
• It is advisable to include cereals, potatoes, pasta, legumes, and rice in the diet. You can also choose wholegrain variants.
• For children, we should limit the intake of added sugar - sweetened drinks, candy, jams, sweet pastries, sweetened yoghurt, ice cream, etc. Similarly, we should limit the amount of salt and foods with a higher salt content (chips, snack bars, salted nuts, deli meats...).
• We must not forget to drink. The child should drink throughout the day, and unsweetened water and unsweetened teas are ideal. Keep juices, sodas, and soft drinks to a minimum.
• Exercise is also extremely important - any kind - walking, cycling, skiing, skating, dancing, Zumba, swimming, ball sports, group classes... Every movement counts. Parents can set an example for their children here, too.
• Another important point is definitely sleep, rest, and regeneration. As the child is constantly developing and growing, they also need enough sleep. A tired child often has a bigger appetite due to hormonal changes, and also tends to eat more sweets. We shouldn’t overload and stress the child, because they could learn to deal with stress and stressful situations by eating, and we definitely don’t want that.