Hild obesity:
ing to your children about issues worry them can be difficult but e are ways. hildhood can be a very sensitive od,” says Austin. “Make time to listen ow they feel. Time to Change (timehange.org.uk) and Young Minds ngminds.org.uk) have good tips on to have helpful conversations with dren if they’re struggling.
Remind them all children are rent shapes and sizes, and they have hing to be embarrassed ut. Talk to their PE her too to make them e aware, and ask about a-curricular activities promote confidence y from school. an your child go swimg with a friend or with ? They need to learn tive emotions associwith the activities – so highlight the fun aspects, rather than it being something they ‘have’ to do. If they really don’t enjoy swimming, encourage them to try something else instead.” The prospect of talking to your child about weight can be terrifying, but it’s important.
“Think about the language you use – terms like ‘fat’, ‘obese’ and ‘diet’ can be much more damaging than we realise,” says Alexia Dempsey, specialist eating disorder dietician at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton.
“Talk about ‘kindness’ and ‘compassion’ rather than ‘weight’ and ‘shape’ as the most important values.
“If your child believes weight and shape dictate their identity, these will be the values they think are most important.
“Talk about social media too – there is a lot of pressure on young people to be part of it. This might not always be a positive experience – cyber-bulling, trolling and pro-anorexic sites are common – and there are lots of so-called ‘experts’ pushing their lifestyle choices on these platforms, along with airbrushed images.
“Make sure you seek professional advice if you are worried about your child’s eating. With obesity on the rise, it’s important to feel you can ask for help and not be judged.” Persistence and starting early are key. “Getting children into good habits when they’re young will bring lifelong benefits, but meal times can be challenging,” says nutritionist Katherine Hale, Prevention Programme Manager for the National Charity Partnership.
“There’s nothing like leading by example. If a child sees you eating all the food on your plate, they’re much more likely to do the same. It’s a good idea to eat together, which also makes meals more sociable and fun.
“Go little by little. A big plate filled with food can be overwhelming, so try offering smaller amounts and let them have more if they’re still hungry.
“Letting children make choices about what they eat will mean they enjoy it more too.
“Of course, it’s important to make the choice a healthy one – for example, by offering an apple or banana, not an apple or biscuit.
“It’s best not to let meals drag on for more than 20-30 minutes. That should be enough to know if they’re going to eat. If they haven’t, clear the plate without fuss.” It depends on their age. “Regularly consuming high-sugar food and drinks increases your risk of long-term health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as well as tooth decay,” says Hale.
“Added sugars shouldn’t make up more than 5% of daily calorie intake. This amounts to no more than 19g a day for four to six-year-olds; 24g a day for seven to 10-year-olds; and 30g a day for 11-year-olds and older.
“Given that a tablespoon of ketchup contains around one teaspoon of sugar, a chocolate biscuit up to two, and a small serving of baked beans almost three – you can see how quickly it tots up. Our advice would be to limit the amount of treats you give children to as few as possible.
“Try making fruit the snack of choice, and when you do give them chocolate, have just a bit rather than a whole bar; have natural yoghurt with nuts or chopped fruit for puddings; drink water rather than fizzy drinks, juice or sugary squash; opt for plain breakfast cereals, such as porridge oats.
“Also, keep an eye on reduced-fat foods – many actually contain more sugar to compensate for the altered taste and texture. Always look at the ingredients list on the packaging.”