SUMMER can be a time when children put on weight. Schools are closed, it’s hot outside and they are playing less sport.
Left to their own devices, children will happily play computer games and watch videos in their rooms as busy parents congratulate themselves that their children are occupied. But these activities are sedentary and if there is not much going on it also leaves time for children to snack from boredom. If there are plenty of snacks around, children can easily end up grazing all day and putting on weight. The number of overweight children is going up and up. All parents need to be vigilant and make sure that children do not get into bad eating habits, or bad leisure habits, spending time laying in bed, sitting around, playing games that involve little thought or imagination. Developing bad habits because parents are busy and not giving sufficient attention to what is going on can lead to weight gain in children, which in turn can lead to poor self-esteem, and open them to teasing by their peers.
To avoid this, educate your children in good eating habits. Take time to buy healthy food and discuss healthy snacks with your children. Make opportunities for your children to swim or take other forms of exercise daily. Limit the time your children spend on sedentary activities — if you give your children reasons and help them to be involved in decisions then they will try to be helpful too.
It is a good time to look at shopping habits and what the family as a whole is eating in a week and to examine eating plans. It is the parents’ responsibility to make sure that their children develop healthy eating habits and get sufficient exercise. Discuss with your child the reasons for cutting down on snacks — I believe that two a day is plenty. If children are hungry between meals, they can have fruit, so always have a fruit bowl around. It is also worth considering the time you have your evening meal. Children arriving home from school are hungry and if the evening meal is very late, they may have consumed so many snacks that they no longer have the appetite for a proper meal. For a free copy of my Healthy Eating Guide, just email to [email protected].
Recipe of the week
Basil Parmesan pasta with lemon peel
Serves 6
Ingredients
340 g orzo pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 g fresh basil, finely chopped
40 g grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp. lemon peel, grated
Method
Cook orzo in boiling salted water 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, covered. Stir in remaining ingredients and pepper to taste.
Ask Alva
How do I check whether I am overweight? I am 28 years old and 5 feet 4 inches tall. My weight is 65 kilos. I have been exercising continuously for the past five months after the delivery of my first child but my weight has been the same. I always have a cautious eye over the intake of high fats and restrict them in my diet. I am also a strict vegetarian but there is no reduction in weight, and I want to reduce the size of my tummy after the delivery and would like to regain my figure.
Anu
I think that you should congratulate yourself because you are not overweight, and that is some achievement if you only had your first baby five months ago. Even after a first child, it can take many women a year or more to regain their figures, but I think that what you need to do now is to continue with a program of regular exercise designed to help you to get your body back in shape. If you will e-mail to [email protected] I will send you a copy of my mini-morning workout that you can do every morning. It is not particularly hard work, so you may need to increase the repetitions a bit in order to feel more benefit.
