Wednesday 28 March 2012

Diet: Children’s Diet

Unless there is a serious problem with your child’s weight or health, it’s usually not advisable to put them on a diet. You should, though, ensure that their everyday diet is balanced and nutritious.

By spending some time making sure that your child is eating well and sensibly, you are already doing them a great service. Children learn many of their eating habits from their parents, so if you are having a takeaway three or four times a week, snacking on crisps and sweets in between and drinking alcohol and fizzy drinks, then that’s the eating example you’re setting your children.

On the other hand, if you’re buying fresh fruit and vegetables, making homemade meals, using the right sort of bread, grains and pulses, your child will grow up with an appreciation of good food, and an in-built preference for a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean that you can’t give them sweets occasionally, or bake cookies with them, but it does mean that you need to give them an appreciation of why it’s important to take their health seriously, and support it through a balanced diet and exercise.

If your child is seriously overweight, has diabetes or any other medical condition that may affect their weight or the type of diet they can eat, you should consult your doctor or health professional. At SureSlim, we can produce a personalised diet plan for your child, based on the same scientific theory as the adult plans. We only do this for children over seven years old, and always in close consultation with parents and doctors. Because our plans include foods that you can buy from any supermarket, and take into consideration your child’s age and other requirements – taking a packed lunch to school for example – you should find it relatively straightforward to follow the plan. We will also talk to you and your child to explain exactly how the plan works, set achievable targets for weight reduction and meet with you every week to assess your progress and answer any queries you may have.

One of the most important things that children can learn is how the food they put in their mouths affects their bodies. An understanding of which foods provide them with which nutrients, and how “bad” foods such as sugary drinks or crisps with too much fat or salt can adversely affect their bodies will help them sustain a healthy diet throughout their lives. http://parentsforhealth.org/free-healthy-lifestyle-tips

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