In a world promoting a lot of junk and unhealthy food, no matter how old a person is, they get attracted to a pizza or a burger. Well, with such a fast-moving technology, we get what we want right at our doorstep in a span of thirty to forty minutes. This high-tech life has given children and today’s generation the leisure to relax and munch on their favorites; however, is it benefitting their health? The question is how to maintain a healthy body weight for children?
Children are growing and maturing emotionally and physically, as well. Thus, it is important to provide a nutritional diet to maintain a healthy body weight. Let’s look at some requisite ways of balancing children’s weight as well as keeping them healthy.
Importance of Doctors and Body Mass Index for Maintaining Healthy Body Weight
It is essential to consult a doctor regularly. The doctor tracks the child’s height and weight frequently which then provides the required information to understand their body type and growth fervently.
Some of the questions that the doctor might ask the parents are the child’s eating habits, physical activity, how much screen time they have in a day, and the family’s medical history. Also, the doctor might use something known as the BMI, which tracks the child’s body weight and height.
Body Mass Index, known as BMI, is a measurement that helps the doctor in identifying how much body fat the child has. The BMI might vary in terms of gender, and the doctor can use this measurement to check the weight or the height of the child. Thus, this measurement is extremely important during the child’s growing years.
In case the child is not in a healthy range as per their body weight, the doctor will provide a specific diet and exercise, and this process has to be followed regularly. It is beneficial to prepare a particular plan recommended by the doctor or a specific dietitian to ensure the best results.
Reasons for Fluctuation in the Weight of a Child
Children who weigh less than the other ones during a particular age are said to be normal. Each child’s body type is different, and they take their own time to reach puberty, leading to the rapid growth of the body.
However, if they are continuously losing weight or underweight, or they are constantly ill or feeling tired. The parents should consult a doctor at this stage. Children who are suffering from anorexia and eating disorders do require serious and immediate medical attention.
If a child is overweight or obese, they might remain the same as adults as well. This might lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, sleep apnea, low self-esteem or depression, and so on. They might turn out to be overweight due to unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, the family’s medical history, lack of sleep, too much screen time, and changes in the environment as well.
Nutritional Diet and Healthy Drinks
Firstly, to ensure that the child is eating healthy and is maintaining a healthy body weight, keep in mind to provide a healthy nutritional diet and that the child is constantly physically active. Ensure that children go out and play, moving their hands and legs physically to remain healthy with adequate body weight.
When the child is on a diet, keep the entire family going on the same page to encourage the child and help to stay fit. Provide fruits and vegetables and a lot of liquid intakes. Proteins, grains, low fat, or non–fat dairy is essential in a nutritional diet. Fish, tofu, eggs, meat, and beans have to be added to give children a healthy and tasty meal.
There should be a certain limit that has to be maintained in terms of unhealthy drinks and food. Give the child what they are asking. Ensure that they do not cross a specific line after which they cannot ask for more.
Try to replace unhealthy snacks with healthy food and snacks and some healthy superfoods such as vegetables and fruits. Try and make the food tasty and attractive. So that children will not find it burdensome to gobble up something healthy and not as tasty as the junk they usually eat. Be sure to serve the right amount of food and eat at home most of the time.
Minimizing Screen Time
Today, children use their playtime as screen time which is not advisable for their health. While eating, the family has to eat together at a dining table or sit around in a circle and finish their meal. Screen time while eating should not be allowed. Also, limit the screen time to just one hour a day. The rest is left up to the parents to utilize their time effectively. See 10 way the addiction to social media seriously harms your mental health
Daily Activity and Play
The child has to run around and play for at least one hour a day. Ensure that children go out and play, moving their hands and legs physically to remain healthy with adequate body weight. Decades ago, children spent their days and vacations just playing with their friends all day long. However, this generation has forgotten the entire use of exercise and play.
Thus, it is extremely important that children go out and play, which is fun and at the same time healthy for their bodies too.
Also, to get the child going, encourage all the family members to be active all day. Provide certain hints or advice to the child of how they are benefitted when they are up and about daily. Ensure to take your child bicycling, running, and playing basketball, walking, and swimming. Such fun activities are extremely beneficial in maintaining a healthy body weight and keeps them active as well. Make sure that the child is getting sufficient sleep at night.
Role of Educational Institutions and Community Living
Schools should make it mandatory to provide healthy eating habits to ensure that their children are fit and maintain steady body weight. Also, it is helpful if the school cafeteria provides healthy and tasty food to prevent children from danger. The child’s community should encourage more parks, sidewalks, and playing areas for the children.
Conclusion
The life of children is in the hands of their parents. It is up to them how to take care of the future generation. The world is not what it was. The environmental and societal changes transform individuals as they grow and become who they are. Yes, we might press a few buttons. Everything is given to us immediately, but with such benefits, are we blooming into a healthy individuals or slowly deteriorating our lives?
The world is moving fast, it is changing, and people are becoming robots. Before things crumble and fall apart, let’s bring back. Whatever way we can to see the future generation active, lively, and fit.