We hear plenty in the media about the childhood obesity ‘epidemic’, but how serious is the problem, and what can be done at Young Academics – and at home – to prevent it?
We asked our nutrition partners Michelle Theodosi and her team from The Lifestyle Dietitian their expert opinion and thoughts, for the rundown on an increasingly weighty issue.
A: Among children aged between 2 and 4, 9.2% are officially obese, with 16% overweight. Between 5 and 9, 8.4% are obese and 17% are overweight, while in the 10 to 14-year age group, 7% are obese and 16.5% are overweight.
A: There are a number of factors, but the most significant are:
- Low intake of whole foods (fruits, vegetable, wholegrains, lean proteins, dairy) and water – only 1 in 15 children eat enough vegetables per day
- Frequently consuming high fat/sugar food/drink which provides little to no nutritional value – 41% of children regularly consume sugar-sweetened drinks
- A lack of physical activity – only 1 in 4 children are as active as they should be
- Too much screen time – Australian children watch an average of 2.5 hours of television a day, as well as spending time on tables and other electronic devices – all seated activities replacing opportunities to be active
- Poor family role models – parents and carers do the shopping and cooking, deciding which foods are available at home. When parents/carers and children eat together and model positive eating behaviours, it encourages healthy eating patterns
- Inadequate sleep – a lack of sleep increases hunger hormones the next day which can contribute to eating more than our bodies need
- Genetics, family history and some medical conditions – sometimes there is a medical cause for obesity – always see your family doctor if you have any concerns
A: Take a step back and look at any patterns that can be tweaked – making changes as a family is the best way to make a long-term change so your child doesn’t feel singled out.
- Make water the preferred drink choice. This is the best choice for hydration and dental health. Add colourful fruit or mint to make it fun.
- Sit together as a family to eat and get rid of distractions (toys, TVs, phones).
- Set limits around screen time – aim for less than 2 hours a day – replace screen tie with fun activities to make the transition stress-free.
- Set a regular bedtime and get plenty of sleep each night.
- Try a new hobby chosen by your child – for example, karate, soccer, rock climbing.
- Stock the pantry with healthy snack options like cheese, wholegrain crackers, cherry tomatoes, vegetable sticks and hummus.
- Encourage everyone to chew their food thoroughly to help them learn their hunger and fullness cues.
- Have set meal and snack times with 3 hours between each to reduce grazing.
- Make breakfast a priority – children who eat breakfast are less likely to over eat later in the day.