- 1. Offer few vegetables and fruits
- 2. Let soda
- 3. Leaving the child a long time without eating
- 4. Take stuffed biscuits and snacks to school
- Signs that the child is not eating well
The most common mistakes in feeding children include eating cookies, cakes and soda daily, which are high in sugar and fat, and eating too few vegetables, fruits and vegetables.
These errors can lead to learning and concentration difficulties at school, in addition to increasing the chances of stunted growth, as they promote weight gain favoring the development of diseases such as obesity, anemia, high blood pressure or heart problems, for example.
Some of the most common eating mistakes in childhood are:
1. Offer few vegetables and fruits
The lack of vegetables and fruits impairs the child's growth, as they are foods rich in fibers and vitamins that contribute to the development of muscles and bones, in addition to facilitating the proper functioning of the intestine.
- How to avoid it: to encourage your child to eat vegetables daily, you can make braised meat with celery, carrots, potatoes or other vegetables, or add vegetables to rice, for example. In addition, colorful dishes should be prepared, as a fun meal increases the child's interest and desire to eat. See how to prepare some dishes in: How to make the child eat fruits and vegetables.
2. Let soda
Soft drinks are very high in sugar which increases the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. It also favors the appearance of cavities, pain in the abdomen and intestinal gas. In addition, these drinks have salt and caffeine, which causes changes in blood pressure.
- How to avoid it: the child should choose to drink water and fruit juices without sugar, as water is essential to control body temperature and maintain the proper functioning of the intestine. Adding half a lemon squeezed in 1 liter of water can make the taste more interesting, helping the child's adaptation.
3. Leaving the child a long time without eating
Going too long without eating is detrimental to health, as prolonged fasting leads the child's intestines to prepare to absorb as many nutrients as possible and the rest of the body to save energy, spending less calories throughout the day and increasing weight and fat in the belly.
- How to avoid: it is essential that the child eat 6 meals a day, at certain times as this helps to control weight and blood glucose.
In addition, many children do not eat breakfast and go to school without eating, reducing concentration at school, because there is a lack of blood sugar, which leads to learning difficulties.
4. Take stuffed biscuits and snacks to school
These foods are rich in sugar and fat which makes digestion difficult and reduces the child's attention at school. In addition, it has many calories and leads to a feeling of satiety very quickly, reducing the desire to eat and eat healthy meals.
- How to avoid: the child should take fruit, bread and cheese, toast with homemade jam, milk, yogurt and fruit in the lunch box to have all the necessary nutrients to be focused and attentive in class, and thus have a better school performance. Here are some great healthy snack options for school.
Here are some strategies that can help your child eat better:
Signs that the child is not eating well
Some signs that can help to identify that the child is malnourishing can be:
- Bring the lunch you took to school in your lunch box; your pants are tight around your waist in 2 months; have a headache more than 2 times a month; always be tired and don't want to play; have dry skin, dry and sunken eyes or chapped lips; Losing weight; Sleeping at school and Decreasing school performance.
These signs may indicate that the child is eating the wrong food for his daily needs, with excessive consumption of foods rich in sugar or lack of vitamins, proteins and minerals, which can lead to the development of anemia, diabetes or high cholesterol, for example. In this case, you should go to the pediatrician for the doctor to observe the child and recommend a blood test if necessary.
In addition to a balanced diet, the child should practice at least 3 times a week physical activity for about 60 minutes.
Watch the following video and see other tips that can help your child lose weight:
