How to make your child fat – and how not to!

What better gift to give your child than your love, but the greater gift, the gift of glowing health. Childhood obesity and overweight children is now the most talked about childhood problem today. Nearly every day the topic is in the national news whilst expert after expert bombards us with facts and the reasons they see as being behind this epidemic. It is indeed a very serious problem. Just because childhood obesity is a growing problem doesn't mean it can‟t be overcome. It certainly can and I hope this brief article will inspire you and give you the confidence to do what is right for your child's health. Some facts:

1) 25% of world wide cases of cancer are caused by being overweight.
2) Obesity is the 2nd biggest killer in the USA after cigarettes. 300,000 deaths a year are linked to obesity related diseases and it is predicted that in the next 10-15 years obesity will overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause of preventable deaths.
3) An obese person‟s life is shortened by 9 years on average
4) 20% of teenagers have the first signs of heart disease in the form of blocked coronary arteries and the number of adolescents suffering from obesity has more than tripled in the last 20 years.
5) Over 15% of children aged between 6 – 11 are now classed as obese and will move on to develop potentially fatal diseases.
6) The average Australian adults' weight is increasing by one gram a day.
7) The problem, quoted by a Leading Australian nutritionist “is directly affecting a greater proportion of the population than did either the Black Death of the 14th Century or the Influenza epidemic that occurred during and after the lst World War”

The facts go on – shocking isn't it? The causes of this disease are more complex than just a case of overeating, in fact people are actually eating less – it is what we are eating that is the problem and less exercise. Of course there could be a medical reason for a child becoming overweight, but this is the least common reason. Basically it is largely due to an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, and the good news is that means parents can have a large amount of control over a child becoming overweight.

Cause no. 1.
Television and computer games and now surfing the net, are our children's obsession. One study showed that the prevalence of obesity rose 2% for each hour of watching TV in 12 – 17 year olds. This points to a clear correlation between inactivity and obesity. This is apart from the health risks of sitting in front of computers and TV for long periods. Think twice therefore before you buy that play station or computer game for your kids stockings this xmas. These items influence childhood obesity not only because they limit the amount of exercise children are getting but also because they tend to snack whilst watching TV, especially when adverts promote snack foods, sugary drinks, chips and the like.

Cause no. 2
Lack of exercise in general is another cause of our children becoming more and more overweight. Less time is now being spent in sport at school. Children used to walk to school but there has been a 60% increase in the number of children being driven, further reducing their exercise. It seems more homework is being given to children which means less time to get outside and play like they used to. Consider your Christmas gifts carefully this year, choose one that promotes activity for you and your family such as a new bike, outdoor games, pool toys and sports equipment.

Cause no 3.
Today's diet is atrocious. Children (and adults) are eating less fat than they did 40-50 years ago but today's foods are laden with sugar, refined carbohydrates such as white breads, flours, preservatives, additives and artificial sweeteners. Wheat is proving to be a problem food and most children have wheat in some form in EVERY meal. These foods have largely replaced meals containing fresh vegetables and fruits. Children are consuming a huge amount of sugary drinks such as Colas, lemonades, Gatorades and sports drinks that are marketed as 'healthy'. Children have become addicted to their regular daily carbonated drink. Fruit juices, even fresh, are also laden with sugar and are not a healthy alternative, although at least providing some vitamins in their content. Water should be encouraged with a small amount of milk for daily drinking. If Juice is used it should be diluted or freshly squeezed and only in small amounts.

What not to feed your child

Fats in the diet are a bombshell waiting to go off as many foods contain trans-fats which are the result of adding hydrogen to vegetables oil and toxic fats due to heating and processing. Low fat foods are not the answer as they still contain killer fats and these foods are often high in refined carbohydrates such as in pies, sausage rolls, corn chips, crisps, fries and the like. Whole foods contain essential, unprocessed fats which are essential to our health. These should be included in your childs diet in the form of nuts (not roasted), seeds, Virgin olive oils, flaxseed oils (don't heat) and fish. Parents with the pressures of providing for the family have opted for convenience meals, ready made dinners, sauces etc that provide very little nutritional value and are laden with sugars, and refined carbohydrates that give the body a quick sugar fix, only to cause a dramatic slump later on. These foods contain hardly, if any, fibre which cause insulin swings and lead to insulin resistance, the prelude to diabetes. High levels of insulin cause food to be converted into fat within the body, ultimately leading to obesity. So don't feel guilty about saying not to your child‟s request for lollies, sugary drinks, and other high carbohydrate foods such as white bread products, (pasta is a white flour product and not a healthy choice) crackers, muesli bars, fruit strips and snack foods. Everyone needs sugar to provide essential energy but natural healthy sources provide more than enough such as whole grains, vegetables (e.g. carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin), pulses and nuts. Eating these types of foods will stop cravings for unhealthy refined sugars. Children develop food preferences early on in life, and so it is vital that those preferences are geared to healthy foods choices whilst they are young. Once they reach adolescence it is often too late to change their dietary habits easily. Research shows that children can „learn to like‟ healthy foods but they need about 10 exposures to a new food to develop this preference.

What to feed your child? In considering foods choices for your children – go back to basics. Offer food that has not been added to, extracted from, processed in any way. Does this food come as nature made it? Such as oatmeal instead of breads and packaged cereals, nuts, seeds and raisins instead of muesli bars, home made burgers made with grated vegetables instead of fish fingers and meat pies, Brown rice instead of pasta and breads. Include vegetables and or fruit with every meal (kids love salsa's and grated vegetables). Put vegetables and fruits on your child's plate with each meal, eventually they will eat it!. Don't restrict your childs diet, simply modify it gradually. This will mean spending more time in the kitchen, but your child and family will thank you for it in the end. Make food fun and involve them in the preparation and shopping, turn off the TV and enjoy meals around the table as a family. All this provides a positive attitude to healthy eating. Kids learn most of their values and beliefs at home so you have a unique opportunity to establish your child‟s priorities so they can make better choices about food and physical activity. That means that parents should firstly set a standard and be eating the correct foods themselves and exercise should become a family affair. Parents may need expert coaching in how to modify their child‟s diets, exercise and general lifestyle. They may be unaware that they are literally „killing‟ their children by the food that they are offering them. Don‟t be afraid to seek this. It's not easy, it's a difficult battle, society works against parents – but a healthy child will be the outcome.

Written by Tammy Mitchum of The Natural Medicine Practice. Tammy is a qualified Naturopath specialising in Digestive and allergic disorders with a special interest in Women and Children‟s Health. Both Tammy and Ros Andrews are the founders of Gut Matters – offering treatment plans for many health disorders including weight loss guidance. See the http://www.gutmatters.com website for what we have to offer.

Or for a personal consult with Tammy – www.naturalmedicinepractice.com will give you all the information you need. Call for an appointments with Tammy in St Ives : (02) 9988 0491