HEALTHY FOOD HABITS IN CHILDREN

HealthWise HomeopathyDr. Sapna Shah

Dr. Sapna Shah M.D. (Homeopathy) C. C. H – Specialisation in Childrens

Disease from Wadia Hospital Lactation Consultant Parasdham Homeopathic Centre,

Ghatkopar Mohit Hospital Jain Sarvajanik Clinic, Borivali Manav Kalyan Kendra, Dahisar

What does your child love to eat???

Maggie? Lays? Kurkure? Kinder Joy? Instant Noodles? Instant soups? Pizza? Mac Donalds? Burgers? French fries??

Does Your Child have the correct Food Habits???

Why eating habits are important in children

In childhood, Physical growth is at its peak. The increase in height and weight is the most.

Development of various organs taking place

Mental Growth peak – the brain grows and develops maximum upto age of 6 years.

Development of Immunity

Kids who eat properly are more attentive at school and have high energy levels

Help kids grow with their full potiential

Prevent malnourishment Making smart nutritional

choices during childhood can reinforce lifelong eating habits

Thus, Prevent Life style related Diseases like Obesity in future

Food Habits also have an influence on behavioural patterns of children

Health Food Habits

Food Habits during Normal Healthy State

Food Habits during Different Disease State

Different nutritional requirements

Macronutrients Micronutrients

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates Proteins Fat

carbohydrates

Role – 1st source of energy Sources – Whole Grains Potatoes Whole Rice Bananas

Proteins

Role – Building blocks of the body & Repair of wear and tear

Sources – Banana Pulses Milk , cheese, Paneer Beans Eggs Poultry products

Fats

Role – Temperature Regulation of the body

Fat soluble Vitamins Insulation Sources – Oil- Olive oil, groundnut oil, sunflower oil, Nuts – walnuts, cashew, almond ghee

Micronutrients Vitamins Minerals

Vitamins

Fat Soluble Vitamins – A, D, E, K Water Soluble Vitamins – B complex

& C

Vitamin A

Essential for Color Vision & Vision in low light

Deficiency - Night Blindness Sources – Carrots Cord Liver Oil Shark Liver Oils Pumpkin Yellow orange fruits Ripe mango

Vitamin D

Role -Regulation of calcium- and phosphate household, structure of bone, assits admission of calcium

Sources -Cod-liver oil, liver, milk, yolk, butter, sea fish, avocado

Deficiency – Rickets

Vitamin E

Role - Stabilization of the immune system, anti-inflammatory, cell replacement, protection from radicals, modulates cholesterol level and hormone household, important for blood vessels, muscles and reproduction organs

Sources - Sunflowers -, corn -, Soya and wheat germ oil, nuts, flaxseed, peperoni, avocado

Deficiency - amblyopia, tiredness, reproduction problems

Vitamin K

Role- Necessary for formation of the blood clotting factors

Sources - Eggs, liver, green collard, green vegetable, oatmeal, kiwi, tomatoes,

Deficiency – Clotting disorders

Vitamin B1 - Thiamin

Role -Important for the nerve system, liver damage, pregnancy, production of energy, affects the carbohydrates metabolism, important for the thyroid function

Sources -Wheat germs, whole meal cereals, peas, heart, pork, barm, oatmeal, liver, brown rice

Deficiency - Heavy muscle- and nerve disturbances, tiredness, dyspepsias, dropsy, cardiac insufficiency, cramps, paralyses

Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin

Role -Important for body growth, untilization of fats, protein and carbohydrates, well being for skin, eyes and nails, important energy production, oxygen transport

Sources- Milk products, Meat, wholemeal cereal, cheese, eggs, liver, sea-fish, green leafy vegetables, whey powder

Deficiency - skin inflammation, brittle nails, anaemia,

callus attrition

Vitamin B3 - Niacin

Sources Fish. Meat., Liver., Whole wheat.,Cereals., Egg.,Dates,Figs. Peanut Butter. Nuts. Deficiency -Pellagra, which is

characterised by Diarrhoea, Dermatitis &

Dementia

Vitamin B5 Role- relieve pain of burns, cuts, abrasions &

to reduce skin inflammation. It speeds up wound healing.

Sources Meat. Whole grains. Green vegetables, Yeast\,Nuts.Sweet Potatoes.

Deficiency causes: Tingling Numbness..

Vitamin B6 Pyroxidine

Sources: Egg Yolk., Fish, Milk. Cabbage Whole grain. Bananas.Nuts., Corn.

Deficiency can cause: Skin problems - Acne. Insomnia. Muscle weakness. Nausea. Irritability. Depression. Fatigue. Anaemia. Mild convulsion in babies.

Vitamin B12 -cyanocobalamine

Sources: Non vegetarian food only, like Fish. Eggs. Dairy Products. Sprouts

Deficiency causes: Anaemia. Sore Tongue. Weakness. Tendency to bleed. Abdominal Pain. Depression. Irritability.

Hydration Having enough water and other

fluids throughout each day is important for good health and physical well-being.

Water makes up 40 to 70 per cent of our body mass, depending on the age, sex and body composition. 65 to 75 per cent of our muscle weight is water.

 

Our body needs water for transporting nutrition, various chemical and enzymatic reactions taking place in the body, lubrication of joints along with other proteins, maintaining body temperature, protecting lungs, heart, eyes, intestines, etc

Dehydration can cause fatigue, cramping, and reduce your ability to function physically, so preventing it is key.

Balanced Diet

A diet which is able to provide all the nutritional requirement

Caloric // Energy Requirement Prevents constipation Prevents anemia Adequate water requirement

Balanced Diet

Let your diet be as colorful as a rainbow

Food Pyramid

Foods that increase Physical Growth

Height Weight

Foods to increase Physical Growth Banana + Milk Peanuts Almonds Dates + Milk Cashew Milkshake

Foods to increase Height

Banana Gum Milk and dairy products Ragi Carrots Raddish

Foods to increase Mental Growth Walnuts

Apples & Plums Milk & Milk products – paneer,

cheese Ragi Pumpkin Seeds- zinc – enhance

memory and thinking skills Broccoli Fish- Essential Fatty Acids Blueberries – Memory Tomatoes – prevents Dementia

(antioxidants) Whole grains – for energy

production

Foods to increase the immunity power

Ginger Paste + Honey – 1tsp full daily

Lemon juice –rich in vitamin C and increases immunity.

Turmeric Powder + Honey helps to increase the immunity power

Amla Juice

Diet to be followed during various disease states

Anemia Constipation Diarrhoea

Diet During Diarrhoea

Lots of fluids Water Salt and Sugar Solution Rice Cunjee

Diet for Anemia

Black Dates Black Raisins Dry fig Sprouts- Vitamin B12 deficiency Jaggery Green Leafy vegetables Beet , Tomatoes

Diet for Constipation

Lots of fluids and water Children who generally have constipation

is due to less intake of water High Fibre diet Oatmeals, Corn Flakes Fruits- Papaya, Sweet Lime, Oranges Lots of green vegetables Over-night soaked dry fig Avoid food items like complan, horlicks,

bournvita, maggie, etc

How frequent should a child eat???

A child needs at least 3 heavy meals and 2 snack meals

Healthy Menu for your child

8am – Milk or Milk shake Khakhra or Paratha (Use Pure Ghee while preparing Parathas ) You can experiment with the stuffings of the

paratha and also shape of the paratha to add creativity and variety on the dining table.

Idli Sambhar is a good option .Idli- takes care of Caloric requirement of the child and is rich in Vitamin B12. Sambar is rich in proteins

Bread Toast (whole wheat) or Sandwitch full of vegetables

Oatmeals or Wheat Flakes or Corn Flakes

1oam – Fruit or 100% fruit juice without added sugar

Dry fruits – almonds, apricots , raisins, walnuts, prunes can also be given.

Always Substitute Processed sugar with healthier options like jaggery, Honey and Dates

12noon- 1pm – Lunch Time Indian Meal is an ideal balanced diet Salads should be a important ingredient of

the meal Salads – Cucumber, Tomatoes, Salad Leaves,

Raddish, Carrots, Sprouts. Make a Pasta Salad to make salad attractive

to your child Vegetables, Dal and Rice or Chapati “one grain at a time” . Vegetables – Make sure you make variety of

it. From Bhindi, Peas, Cauliflower, Egg Plant,

4pm Snack Time – Milk or Milk shake Fruits – Banana, Papaya, Musk Melon Biscuits (whole grain biscuits)

6pm – Brunch- Vegetable soup Variety of Soups – Tomato, Pumpkin,

Bouttle Gourd, Spinach, Mix Vegetables Add bit of Rock Salt and Pepper for taste You can even add whole corn , peas ,

cheese to the soup for the child to like it

8pm- Dinner time – Make sure your child eats at least 2 hours

before he goes to sleep Make a variety of food(which was not made for

lunch) Make a colorful and lively dinner You can always make a pasta (whole grain) ,

pizza , Rice , etc with full of veggies Pizza base can also be made at home and out

of wheat flour Strictly avoid using refined flour (maida ) .

Instead use whole grain or mixed grain flour So children enjoying eat it and also get the

adequate nutrition.

Make sure your childs water intake is adeuqate. Encourage your child to drink water frequently.

Make sure your child gets adequate Physical Activity to utilise his calorie intake

Make sure your child gets adequate sleep as maximum growth takes place during sleeping hours

Healthy Tiffin Box tips

Do not give any outside ready made food items

Do not give waffers and dry snacks Give home made fresh food stuffs You can give Dhokla Sandwitch Cutlets Fruits Upma

Is your child a fussy eater??

How to develop your child’s interest in eating?

Involve your child in cooking Involve your child in food shopping Children's food preferences, an opportunity to teach your children

about nutrition, provide your kids with a feeling of

accomplishment. In addition, children may be more willing

to eat or try foods that they help prepare. Name the food your child helped create,

and make a big deal of serving "Tania's Thai Salad" or "Henry's Corn and Avocado Tacos" for dinner

Concept of “Chocolate Bank”

It’s like a piggy- bank . Child collects all the chocolates he recieves. Then he cannot eat them all together

The child has to “earn” the chocolate to eat one

It avoids over-eating and also inculcates the value of earning .

Creativity to the plate

Make the dish as colorful as possible. If all the colors are present in the plate , means that you are adding maximum nutrition in the plate.

Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Top a bowl of whole grain cereal with a smiley

face: banana slices for eyes, raisins for nose, peach or apple slice for mouth.

Create a food collage. Use broccoli florets for trees, carrots and celery for flowers, cauliflower for clouds, and a yellow squash for a sun. Then eat your masterpiece!

Make frozen fruit kabobs for kids using pineapple chunks, bananas, grapes, and berries.

Try fruit smoothies for a quick healthy breakfast or afternoon snack.

Add extra veggies to soups, stews, and sauces, grated or shredded to make them blend in.

Keep lots of fresh fruit and veggies washed and available as snacks. Apples, pears, bananas, grapes, figs, carrot and celery sticks are all easy to eat on the run. Add yogurt, nut butter, for extra protein.

Warn Kids to Drink Calories Outside drinks , chocolate shakes and fruit

shakes contain umpteen no. of calories. Warn your kids from having them. To help kids develop a healthy liquid

calorie habit from an early age, give your toddler plenty of water and plain milk to avoid getting them used to sugary juice or chocolate milk.

If you do give them juice, give them 100 percent fruit juice and water it down, mixing equal parts water and juice.

Encourage your children to drink more water. Over consumption of sweetened drinks and sodas has been linked to increased rates of obesity in children.

Don't Ban Junk Food Outright

Once kids get their first taste of crunchy, sweet or salty, it's hard to get them unhooked.

Still, it is recommended that parents limit the number of treats that kids are allowed to eat each day, rather than ban these foods completely. That way, kids won't be as tempted to want what they can't have.

if the food becomes available to your child outside your home, he or she might eat it despite feeling full. This can lead to a habit of overeating.

Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV.

Try to eat only in designated areas of your home, such as the dining room or kitchen. Eating in front of the TV may make it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness, and may lead to overeating.

Encourage your children to eat slowly

A child can detect hunger and fullness better when they eat slowly.

Before offering a second helping or serving, ask your child to wait a few minutes to see if they are truly still hungry. This will give the brain time to register fullness.

Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.

Try to make mealtimes pleasant with conversation and sharing, not a time for scolding or arguing.

If mealtimes are unpleasant, children may try to eat faster to leave the table as soon as possible.

They then may learn to associate eating with stress.

Set a Good Example It may seem that your kids —

especially teenagers — often do the exact opposite of your healthy-eating advice

your opinion and actions make a big impact on how they view nutrition.

Preschoolers especially love to copy what their parents do, and are likely to mimic your meal preferences and willingness to try new foods.

Take advantage of this “monkey-see, monkey-do” behavior and make healthy eating choices in front of them.

Eat snacks and meals with your child whenever possible, so they see how much you enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, and make mealtime fun by trying new foods together.

If you have older kids, discourage them from making a "yuck" face when eating vegetables or talking negatively about a certain dish around a younger child at the dinner table.

Start with Small Portions Use smaller plates , bowls and utensils for

your child to eat with, and allow them to serve themselves when they are old enough to safely do so.You can begin this practice when they are 3 to 5 years old, and start with allowing them to take a serving of salad or some other non-hot food from small bowl that you hold for them.

This will make them feel "like a grown-up," while helping them learn to measure out how much they want to eat and understand portion size.

Encourage them to take one serving at a time and go back for seconds only if they are still hungry

A “weighty” problem: children, weight and self esteem

Children who are substantially overweight or obese are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and poor self-esteem, as well as long-term health problems in adulthood.

While childhood obesity doesn’t always lead to obesity in adulthood, it does raise the risks dramatically. The majority of children who are overweight during preschool or elementary school are still overweight as they enter their teens.

Addressing weight problem in children requires a coordinated plan of physical activity and healthy nutrition.

The goal should be to slow or halt weight gain, thereby allowing your child to grow into his or her ideal weight.

Kids and junk food

No matter how well parents promote healthy eating, it can be difficult for any kid to avoid the temptation of junk food.

Instead of eliminating junk food entirely, which tends to increase cravings even more, try substituting some healthier alternatives.

Eating out with kids: fast food and restaurant nutrition for children

It might be challenging to persuade your youngster to order a salad instead of a cheeseburger, but you can steer them towards healthier options. Some important tips to remember about fast food and restaurant dining for kids:

Avoid sodas – Kids should drink water or milk instead. Skip the fries – Consider taking along a bag of mini

carrots, grapes, or other fruits and vegetables to have instead. This will add vitamins and fiber to the meal.

Order the kid's meal with some substitutions – Children often love the kid's meal more for the fun box and toys than for the food. Ask to substitute healthier choices for the soda and the fries if possible.

Opt for vegetables or spaghetti with tomato sauce in a sit-down restaurant, rather than a big plate of macaroni and cheese

Try not to use food to punish or reward your children.

Withholding food as a punishment may lead children to worry that they will not get enough food. For example, sending children to bed without any dinner may cause them to worry that they will go hungry. As a result, children may try to eat whenever they get a chance. Similarly, when foods, such as sweets, are used as a reward, children may assume that these foods are better or more valuable than other foods. For example, telling children that they will get dessert if they eat all of their vegetables sends the wrong message about vegetables.

Parents should also avoid restricting desserts or other treats as punishment for bad behavior, because this can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.

Limiting salt

One teaspoon of salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium. Some guidelines for the maximum salt intake for children:

If a child is They should eat less than… 1 to 3 years old 1,500 milligrams a day 4 to 8 years old 1,900 milligrams a day 9 to 13 years old 2,200 milligrams a day 14 to 18 2,300 milligrams a day Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant, and fast food.

Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit. Many fast food meals are also loaded with sodium.

Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.

Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.

Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.

Limiting sugar

The American Heart Association recommends that sugar intake for children is limited to 3 teaspoons (12 grams) a day. Cutting back on candy and cookies is only part of the solution. Large amounts of added sugar can also be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, frozen dinners, ketchup, and fast food.

Don’t ban sweets entirely. Having a no sweets rule is an invitation for cravings and overindulging when given the chance.

Give recipes a makeover. Many recipes taste just as good with less sugar.

Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than three times the daily recommended limit for children! Try adding a splash of fruit juice to sparkling water instead.

Cut down on processed foods, such as white bread and cakes, which cause blood sugar to go up and down, and can leave kids tired and sapped of energy.

Create your own popsicles and frozen treats. Freeze 100% fruit juice in an ice-cube tray with plastic spoons as popsicle handles. Or try freezing grapes, berries, banana pieces, or peach slices, then topping with a little chocolate sauce or whipped cream for an amazing treat.

Don’t forget about physical activity

It is also important to ensure your children include physical activity in their day. Children need to be active for at least an hour every day. 

Reduced sedentary behaviours by setting up limits for time spent in front of TV, computers or video games.

Increase incidental exercise such as walking to school or the shops, sweeping the path or doing some gardening.

Be a role model and make physical activity a family event by going for a bush walk, playing family cricket, playing in the park or kicking a ball around.

Choose activities that your children like and encourage play that involves moving. 

Choose “active” presents such as balls or volleyball kits rather than sedentary presents such as DVD’s, play station games

To encourage physical activity, play with your kids - throw around a football; go cycling, skating, or swimming; take family walks and hikes; and help your kids find activities they enjoy by showing them different possibilities. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular excercise can even help motivate your kids to make healthy food choices.

Help Them Recognize When They’ve Eaten Enough

Remind your children to stop eating once they begin to feel full. Do not urge them to finish all the food on their plate, and do not praise them for completely clearing their plate.

Instead, tell them that it's best to only eat as much as they want at that time, and that the leftovers can be finished later when they become hungry again.

Allow your child to stop eating when they feel that they are full, even if you sometimes feel that they have not eaten enough. Making them eat when they are no longer hunger can lead to unhealthy overeating habits.

To help your young child learn to listen to their body's fullness cues at mealtime,ask them questions such as "Is your tummy telling you that you’re full?" or "Is your stomach still making that hungry growling noise?"

Nutritious New Foods: Try, Try Again

Don't be discouraged if your toddler stubbornly turns away from mashed broccoli or strained peas. It takes time for children to learn to like a new food's taste and texture. Offer a new food many times, as it can take up to a dozen tries for a child to decide they like a certain food.

Thank you Have a Healthy Yummy Day!!