According to the Spanish Agency AESAN, the percentage of children with obesity is 13.9%, while the percentage of overweight children is 12.4%. This gives us a total of overweight children 26.3%, a true medical-health problem that needs attention.
We as parents must be aware that around us there are many factors that influence children to grow up overweight. It depends largely on us that our children practice healthy lifestyle habits and keep excess weight at bay.
Sometimes we will have to turn our backs on accepted or widely extended customs, or look for alternatives that are not simple at times because of how our environment has been organized (cities, leisure, food shops ...), but it is worth it.
For this we must be aware of two key factors: food and physical activity. These go hand in hand when it comes to controlling the weight of the child and anyone.
Regarding food, hypercaloric foods, foods and beverages that contain many calories and low volume, that do not satisfy and therefore continue to be eaten must be controlled. Industrial pastries, salty snacks or sugary sodas are an example, and they must be consumed sporadically.
We remember at this point that there are many options for snacks, snacks or healthy snacks, such as fruits and vegetables (you have to try to reach five daily rations), nuts, snacks ...
And among the drinks, the best is the water that should not be missing in the diet as the main drink, and natural juices or milk are also recommended.
If you look at physical activity, the enemy to fight is sedentary. While our society is organized in such a way that neither work nor leisure require a great deal of physical effort, we must look for ways for our children to move.
As much as possible, we can walk to school or the park, climb the stairs instead of using the elevator, limit the time our children spend in front of the screens and encourage the practice of sport. Let's look for leisure options that put us in touch with nature, that invite people to walk and play while moving.
It is best to consider these healthy habits for the whole family, because you have to lead by example. You know, in the feeding and in the physical activity is the key so that our children are not overweight, you just have to propose it.
