Remember that commercial in which a child made a fuss in the market insisting that his mother buy broccoli and chicory?
It’s simple because we can’t expect that the initiative of eating healthy comes from people who don’t even understand the importance of this for their own health.
But you get it!
Do you complain that your children never eat vegetables and struggle to get them to accept a fruit in place of that sugar-laden dessert? They may be young, but they are not foolish. If you don’t apply what you preach, they get suspicious.
Do you doubt it? So, take note: according to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP), the intrauterine phase and the first two years of life are the most critical periods for the development of obesity. And if, today, 25% of Brazilian adults (18 years old or more) are obese and more than 60% are overweight, the drama is clear.
Speaking of the first two years of life…
A 2019 SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System) study of children aged 6 to 23 months, showed that the following foods had been consumed by the day before data collection:
This is the kind of reality that makes it so difficult to break almost endless cycles, such as the fact that 4 out of 5 obese children will remain obese as adults.
You may have heard of the Body Mass Index (BMI). This is how you know whether someone is overweight or not, and at what level. The calculation works like this:
It also classifies the degree of obesity into mild (30 to 34.9), moderate (35 to 39.9), and severe or morbid (over 40).
The results will not be capptured or identified, neither will any personal or sensitive data – the tool is only a convenience for the page visitor. Want to know more about our policies? Visit the “About Us” tab on the home page of our website: dorconsultoria.com.br.
Start with home-cooked meals and prioritize fresh or minimally processed foods. Everyone enjoys getting off the diet once in a while and as long as this “once in a while” doesn’t become “always”, there is nothing wrong with it.
Want more details on how to improve your young ones’ eating routine? Consult the Ministry of Health’s Food Guide for Brazilian Children Under 2 Years of Age.
The absence of physical activity in the routine is one of the pillars of obesity, both in childhood and adulthood. And even before the pandemic, more than 40% of Brazilians were already being sedentary.
Besides promoting the children’s knowledge about the importance of exercising, it is also necessary to have a critical look at possible sedentary behaviors, such as the excessive use of cars, being too lazy to perform simple day-to-day activities, the time spent sitting/lying down in daily life, etc.
With increasingly seductive technologies in the realm of entertainment and interaction, it is hard to compete with the virtual world: screen time – spent sitting or lying down in front of the TV, computer, or cell phone – increased from 6.5 to 10 hours a day during the pandemic.
Hence the need to avoid excess, limiting the use of equipment, and to be creative when it comes to stimulating playful and recreational activities among the children.
Why is it expensive to invest in a gym membership if spending the same amount every month on pizza is cheap? Why is staying on your cell phone for 1 hour not enough and practicing a sport for the same time is too much?
Could it be that you and your family need to re-signify your priorities?
With the advance of vaccination, there has been significant improvement in the number of hospitalizations for covid-19. However, we still live a pandemic, and in scenarios like this, emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, etc. are common, directly affecting our eating habits.
Nestes casos, mais do que qualquer mudança de hábito alimentar, é necessário cuidar da saúde mental. Busque acompanhamento psicológico com profissionais especializados (terapeutas, psicólogos etc.).
Talk to a pediatrician or nutritionist to adopt – and encourage – good habits. For you and your family.
And start setting good examples right away: download the campaign materials and promote it on your social networks.
Technical Manager
Dr. Sérgio Hércules – CRM (Regional Medical Council) 61.605