Childhood Obesity: 5 Tips To Control Your Child's Junk Food Consumption

According to the World Health Organisation, over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 years were overweight in 2022, including 160 million who were living with obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious threat to the long-term health and well-being of children. Obese children are at a higher risk of several health conditions including high blood sugar levels, hypertension, sleep disorders, joint pain, asthma and heart disease. Bridging the nutrition gap plays a significant role in preventing childhood obesity. The increased dependency on fast foods or ready-to-eat meals increases the intake of unhealthy calories with zero or minimum nutrition. The easy availability of such foods has also made it challenging to maintain a balanced diet, especially for children. As a result, they develop unhealthy eating patterns.

Here, let's discuss some ways that can help break this pattern and allow kids overcome junk food addiction.

Tips to break junk food addiction in kids

1. Make nutritious meals more exciting

Remember, a healthy meal should not be boring. Try experimenting with one or more ingredients to make your meals healthy yet delicious. If your kids won't eat vegetables, try serving them with dips or use a vegetable puree as a pasta sauce. Veggies or fruits can also paired with yoghurt, salsa or hummus. Also, enhance the appearance of the food using fruit cutters or by using different colours.

2. Set a good example

Children observe and mimic the behaviour of their parents. Therefore, it is crucial for you to make the right food choices in the first place. Steer clear of unhealthy foods and encourage your child to do so.

3. Keep healthy options ready

You are more likely to choose unhealthy snacks when there is a lack of healthy options or the preparation time may take time. Similarly, kids are likely to snack on unhealthy foods if there are no good options available. Therefore, stock your pantry with healthy, wholesome foods and snacks like nuts, popcorn, fruits or yogurt.

4. Add protein to diet

Protein plays a crucial role in growth and development of muscles. It also suppresses hunger pangs. Adding more protein to your kid's diet can help reduce the desire to consume high-calorie junk food. Milk, eggs, sprouts, quinoa, soy, lentils, seeds, nuts, chicken and fish are some good protein sources.

5. Start early

Children should be taught the importance of eating healthy foods. Every time you introduce a new food to your child's diet, explain the health benefits to them. Similarly, you should explain to them why junk food is bad for them.

WHO mentions that reducing the number of calories consumed from fats and sugars and increasing the portion of daily intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts can help prevent obesity.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.