Written by Catherine Saxelby
on Friday, 01 February 2013.
Tagged: balanced diet, children, guides, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, kids, obesity, overweight, tips, weight loss
A child's excess body fat will not melt away like ‘puppy fat' if it has reached overweight or obese levels (to check how your child's weight rates, go to my Children's Weight Issues Part I). This situation needs action NOW, not when they are ‘older', ‘start school' or the ‘weather warms up'.
But take care in your approach. Focusing your plans completely on the child will only serve to single them out and make them feel there is something wrong with them - weight management for children should be a family affair.
Everyone will benefit from eating better and being more physically active. Here's what I hope is sensible and practical advice when planning what steps you need to take:
(Here's my suggested meal plan for an 7-11 year old child who needs to trim down)
Wheat breakfast biscuits or wholegrain cereal or porridge with sprinkle of sugar or honey
Reduced fat milk
Toast with spread or peanut butter
Egg, boiled or poached - if desired 2-3 times a week
Small glass low-fat milk or water
Fresh mandarin, apple or orange
Raisin loaf thinly spread OR 2-4 crispbread or rice cakes with reduced-fat cheese
Water to drink
Sandwich or roll made with wholemeal or high fibre white bread
with spread and chicken, ham, cold meat, tuna, peanut butter or yeast spread and salad
Tub of low-fat yoghurt
Water to drink
Small tin baked bean or tinned spaghetti on a toasted English muffin
Water or milk to drink
Two small chops or one piece of steak, trimmed of fat
Mashed or boiled potato
Carrots
Peas or beans
Jelly with canned pears or peaches
Water to drink
Small glass low-fat milk
Slice of cheese with toast or crackers
Snack-time for kids should not mean junk food time. Basing snacks on the same sorts of foods you would use at main meal times means these snacks become nutritious, contributing valuable vitamins and minerals and not just sugar and fat.
Try these suggestions:
Fruit
Popcorn (pan-popped not microwave)
Breakfast cereal
Fruit smoothies with low-fat milk
Small tins of baked beans or spaghetti
Fruit toast
Low fat yoghurt
Pikelets or scones with jam
Crackers with low fat cheese
Corn on the cob
Noodles (low-fat types not instant)
Toasted English muffins
Fruit smoothies made with low fat milk
For more help for parents, go to Children's weight issues part 3.
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