How to avoid childhood obesity

Think you know about the worldwide sweep of the obesity epidemic? Think again, for the statistics close to home make for grim reading.

Up to 327,000 children (20% of the population under 18) are either obese or overweight, and experts have warned Ireland is heading for a US-style epidemic where 33% of children have weight problems. Even more worrying, one in four three-yearolds are overweight or obese.

Energy drinks are a stealthy and sneaky culprit, as they are targeted largely at elite athletes and sporty types and seduce people with their isotonic or ‘electrolyte’ content.

‘Young men see Paul O’Connell drinking an energy drink and assume, ‘that’s good for me’,’ says Donal O’Shea, obesity expert and consultant endocrinologist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin. ‘They don’t have the full picture.’

In fact, advertising has caused a huge shift towards the emphasis on sugary foods. ‘Pester power’, whereby a child harasses parents for products they see advertised on TV, is the axis on which the food industry economy spins.

‘The food industry spends 85% of their budget on the ‘top shelf’, nutritionally empty foods on the food pyramid,’ notes Donal. ‘And the advertising is targeted at children. Advertising works; they wouldn’t spend the money if it didn’t.’

Good food habits set early in childhood can last a lifetime. Lunches provide around one third of our daily nutritional needs, so it’s important to put some thought and planning into them.

And there is no shortage of options that can provide the ‘treat’ element of a healthy lunchbox.

Instead of chocolate or sweets, try a box of raisins, an orange, a small bag of dried apricots, a homemade flapjack or bran muffin, a slice of homemade carrot cake, a pot of mixed berries, yoghurt, fruit puree or fromage frais, or a kiwi or passion fruit.

As old standbys go, the humble sambo has come a long way in recent years. They’re a busy parent’s best friend; quick and easy to prepare, they also provide slow-release energy throughout the day. Try chicken, avocado, sweetcorn and light mayo, grated

cheese

Making your own lunchbox snacks cuts down on additives and helps bump up your child’s vitamin intake

with chopped celery and apple, cottage cheese with beetroot, turkey breast with cranberry sauce and salad, tuna with chopped peppers and light mayo, cream cheese with salmon slivers and cucumber, or peanut butter with grated carrot and raisins.

As for ways to substitute packets of fatty crisps, nutritionist Paula Mee notes that there are a number of more nutritious alternatives. Naturally, supermarket shelves are heaving with madefor-lunchtime savoury treats, but beware; many are little more than empty calories packed with preservatives. Instead, making your own savoury lunchbox snacks cuts down on additives and helps bump up your child’s vitamin and mineral intake to boot.

Give your kids a small pot of hummus with strips of wholemeal pitta for dipping. Also, try a small pot of breakfast cereal, a small bag of lightly salted pretzels or a small bag of unsalted nuts as an alternative to crisps, if your child is old enough not to choke on them.

Calcium in particular is essential to ensure healthy bones and teeth. Osteoporosis, a brittle bone disease that affects older adults, begins in childhood if diets are not providing adequate calcium-rich foods. Yoghurts, milk and fortified cereals are a kid-friendly way to ensure a good calcium intake.

In a diet rich with convenience meals and fast food, vitamins often fall by the wayside. B Complex vitamins come from a variety of foods like grains, meat and dairy, while Vitamin C is easily obtained from most fruits. One way of ensuring that you have this box ticked everyday is to incorporate a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (like Centrum) into the morning routine.

As a rule of thumb, the food pyramid provides handy guidance for daily menus. Fats, oils and sweets should be used sparingly, 2-3 servings of dairy should be incorporated into the day, as should 2-3 servings of meat, eggs, fish and nuts.

Experts also suggest that growing children should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 portions of fruit, too. Rounding off the ‘pyramid’ is a suggestion that kids eat 6-11 servings from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group. Carbs have been demonised in the media of late, but low-GI (glycaemic) carbs like brown breads, brown pasta and brown rice provide energy for growing and playground activity. Stick to the brown variants, ditch the white carbs, and you’ll notice fewer blood sugar ‘spikes’ – which in turn means fewer tantrums - throughout the day.

In an ideal world, kids would happily chow down on healthy foods every day with nary an eyelid batted… however, the reality is often different for most parents. Entranced by no shortage of adverts for fast food and sweet treats, most parents will take the path of least resistance at mealtimes.

However, it needn’t be doom and gloom, and there are many ways of outwitting a young fussy eater.

Try mashing potatoes with carrots, sweetcorn or peas for a colourful mixture. Juices and smoothies made with berries, mango, papaya and bananas are a great way to get vitamin A, C and potassium into fussy eaters. Add some yoghurt or milk too, to boost their calcium intake.

Overall, it’s best to offer variety across all the food groups: this stops kids from getting bored and ensures a healthy and balanced eating regime. It’s easy to stock things like pasta salad, flour tortillas and bagels in the freezer for instances, while a pot of homemade soup can often last all week and be perfect for seriously hungry tums.