Kids must learn healthy eating habits early

By Donya Betancourt

SANUR, Bali (JP): When discussing obesity in kids, I am mostly concerned about food and feeding habits of infants at the time they start eating solid food, when there is an opportunity to introduce healthy eating habits that will promote good health in the years to come.

Children will typically adopt eating patterns that are presented to them since it is easier for them to learn habits that they experience rather than see.

Today, nutritionists and pediatricians are alarmed because children consume more and more sweets, highly processed foods, meats, fried foods and salt. Consequently, obesity in children is on the rise -- which can lead to other health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and sleeping problems.

One of the problems in excessive use of fatty or sugary types of junk food is that they quickly satisfy hunger so that children will subsequently eat too little of the valuable foods at meal time.

Obesity is no longer the exception. Studies show the incidence of obesity is 5 to 10 percent among preschool age children; 10 percent of school-age children, 15 percent of adolescent and 30 percent of adults. Furthermore, 20 percent of school age children and 80 percent of adolescents who are obese, are likely to be obese as adults.

Obesity is defined by using the body mass index (BMI), which calculates weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters) multiplied by itself, [W/H2]. Normal BMI is 20-24.9, anything greater than 25 means obesity.

For example, if your child is three years old and is 94 cm tall and weighs around 16 kg, BMI [16 divided by (0.94x0.94)] equals 18. Therefore, he/she is normal. However, if he/she weighs 25 kg (BMI equals 28), there is reason for concern.

Some health experts say weight-for-height is imprecise and overly restrictive. I however believe in the rule of eye method, if the child looks fat he/she probably is fat.

What causes obesity?

I am talking about simple obesity, which means an excessive deposition and storage of fat from nutritional imbalance and physical inactivity -- too much of the wrong types of food and too little exercise. The second type of obesity derives from illness or hormonal problems which need to be diagnosed for its exact cause.

As for the simple case of obesity, several factors can increase a child's chances of becoming overweight: genetic, eating habits, appetite and unhappiness.

Research has proven that if there is no obese family member, the chances for an average child to be obese is 3 to 7 percent, but if one of the parents is obese, the child has a 40 percent chance of obesity. If both parents are obese, the kid will have an 80 percent chance of being burdened with obesity.

In my opinion, excessive fat intake and inactivity -- for example too much time in front of video games and televisions, and eating too many processed foods with too little exercise -- are the two most common and easily treated factors leading to a fat child.

A child who has a tremendous appetite and finds rich foods appetizing like potato chips, meats, cheese, cakes and cookies is going to be heavier than the child who prefers vegetables, fruit and grain.

Unhappiness from loneliness, depression or worries about schoolmates sometimes make children seek comfort in overeating, which needs to be looked at if your are treating an obese child.

How does obesity affect the body?

Obesity is a serious problem for any child since it can effect the child both physically and mentally so it should be treated as soon as it appears.

If a baby is becoming unusually plump during the first year, this should not be considered cute and one should start shifting foods to more vegetables, fruits, whole grain or beans.

If you are aware the child is overweight or obese, it is your responsibility as a parent to make the changes in his or her diet. There is no strict diet for children, but the family will be an important role model. If you want to give your child low fat food, the whole family should eat the same foods, stop keeping cookies or sweets around the house, eat an apple or orange to satisfy your own craving for sugar and demonstrate to your child new ways of eating more nutritious foods. Doing this will change the child's attitude towards food in a short period of time.

Medicine for obesity should be used on doctor's orders only when the child is gaining weight too fast.

Here is a recommendation for a child older than two years old to maintain a good healthy weight. Daily foods should be: * Vegetables 3-5 servings (count per serving: a cup of raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup of other kinds) * Fruit 2-4 servings (count per serving: a medium apple, orange or banana; 1/2 cup of small diced fruit; 3/4 cup of juice) * Grains found in bread, cereals, rice and pasta 6-11 servings (count per serving: a slice of bread; 1/2 bun, bagel, or English muffin; 1 ounce of cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta). * Dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese 2-3 servings (count per serving: a cup of milk or yogurt or about 1-1/2 ounces of cheese). * Proteins found in meats, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs and nuts two to three servings (count 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or peas as a serving of vegetables or as 1 ounce of meat).

Tactful parents can do a great deal to keep temptation away from their overweight child without making an issue of it.

My advice to all loving parents is, let's start today in showing our children good eating habits that will keep them fit and eat good food throughout their life. Moreover, let's pull the plug on the video games and televisions and go for a walk.

The writer is a pediatrician based in Sanur, Bali. If you have questions, please contact her at drdonya@hotmail.com, or you can reach her at features@thejakartapost.com.