News

Take One Small Step….For Children’s Diet, Weight and Health

- Parents Have Major Role As Guardians of Diet & Activities for their Families -

(Thursday 14th August 2008) “The evidence indicates that many Irish children are gaining weight because of poor dietary and lifestyle habits which can damage their health, both in the short term and later in adult life,” says Dr. Catherine Logan, Nutritionist with the National Dairy Council.

“Concerns about the increasing number of Irish children who are overweight or obese have been well publicised - but parents should be encouraged by knowing that a small number of basic steps can make a huge improvement to their children’s health - in the short and long term,” says Dr. Logan.

Scale of the Problem

The Irish National Taskforce on Obesity highlights that excess body weight is now the most prevalent childhood disease in Europe – it affects approximately one in six children. However, in some countries one in three children are overweight or obese. A survey of 5-12 year old Irish school children produced alarming results, with 22% of Irish children found to be either overweight or obese.

The same Irish Taskforce on Obesity report expresses a concern that we may see the first generation of children who will have lower life expectancy than their parents – so it is important that healthy lifestyles are supported and encouraged throughout life, beginning from the earliest years

The immediate and short term problems that overweight and obese children may experience include type 2 diabetes, respiratory problems such as asthma, cardiovascular and orthopaedic problems, as well as isolation and psychological effects. The most important long-term consequences of childhood obesity is its persistence into adulthood with many studies showing that BMI (Body Mass Index*) in childhood is significantly related to BMI in adulthood.

Every Step Helps

For those who are already obese, even a modest weight loss can have substantial benefits. However acknowledgement of excess weight is an essential first step in tackling obesity or weight issues.

One third of parents of obese teenagers think their teenager’s weight is fine; and three quarters of parents of overweight teenagers think their teenager’s weight is fine. Similar figures are coming from UK studies, where only 25% of parents recognized overweight in their child.

There have been suggestions that a family history of obesity may mean that children are predisposed to gain weight. However research is indicating that genetic factors are not the only culprits as obesity is very much a multifactorial disease.

What and How Much We Eat

The increase in the prevalence of obesity can be partly attributed to the total energy we consume through foods, combined with levels of physical activity which are simply too low.

“In simple terms research is now confirming that the problems are caused by what and how much we feed our children, as well as what they physically do,” says Dr. Catherine Logan. “Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight throughout life means balancing energy intakes from all food sources, with physical activities which use up energy.

According to Dr. Logan, small changes to eating habits introduced gradually over time can make a tremendous difference to your family’s health

Large portion sizes are a possible reason for unhealthy weight gain among older children.

Top-link the Food Pyramid

Many Irish children and teenagers are eating the wrong balance of foods, exposing them to health risks and nutrient deficiencies.

For instance, Irish teenagers are obtaining a higher percentage of energy from consuming confectionery, snacks and biscuits (15%) than from dairy products (11%) or potatoes and potato products (10%). The National Children’s Food Survey examined the diets of 5-12 year old Irish children and found that fat intakes were high and salt intakes from foods in their diets were above the FSAI recommended targets.

The diets of a high proportion of Irish children aged 5-12 years and Irish teenagers are known to be low in calcium, vitamins A&D, iron and folic acid. A survey showed that 51% of Irish children consumed sweets, 37% drank fizzy drinks, 27% consumed crisps, 12% at chips and 7% ate hamburgers at least once daily.

Yet 42% of teenage girls do not have adequate daily calcium intake with their diet. Children and teenagers are particularly at risk from this deficiency because their bodies demand calcium and other nutrients for the higher level of bone growth during their formative years. For example, a new born infant has around 25g of calcium in its skeleton, growing to an adult skeleton with about 1,200g of calcium. Such deficiencies can be easily improved by parents simply making dairy products available to children and teenagers.

Sugary Drinks & Snacks

The World Health Organisation has also serious concerns over the high consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks by children in many countries. It has been suggested that sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks may be a contributory factor to the obesity epidemic. “Recent TNS research in Ireland confirms that most people believe milk is a refreshing and nurturing drink (83% and 81%) – so it is easy for parents to introduce drinking milk as an alternative to fizzy drinks,” says Dr. Logan. Few other foods contain calcium naturally in amounts similar to milk and milk products.

Intakes of snack foods such as crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, chips and other fried foods should be limited. Lean cuts of fresh meat are favoured and parents should use low fat cooking methods such as grilling or oven-baking rather than frying.

Food Pyramid Guidelines

A balanced diet that follows the food pyramid for guidance, is recommended. The Department of Health & Children recommend 3 servings of dairy per day for children and adults. As the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium increases during the teenage years, pregnancy and breastfeeding, people at these life stages should aim for 5 servings of dairy per day to achieve the increased nutritional requirements. The guidelines can be easily achieved from selecting a total of 3 - (5 for teenagers or during pregnancy/breastfeeding) - servings, from: 1 oz or 28 g of hard cheese (about the size of a matchbox); one serving of 1/3 of a pint glass of milk; or one carton of yoghurt. Although whole milk is advised during childhood, low fat options may be considered in cases of overweight or obese children over 5 years of age.

Nearly one third of Irish adults (29%) do not consume the basic “three servings of dairy a day” recommended by the Irish Department of Health & Children.

Healthy Choices

Every meal and snack is an opportunity to boost the nutrient quality of a child’s diet. In Ireland, nearly half of us (48%) snack between meals, most commonly on biscuits and cakes.

Snacks tend to be of lesser nutrient quality than meals and tend to be made of less healthy foods. Therefore snack times are an ideal opportunity to focus healthy eating for the promotion of better food choice.

In an Irish survey on lifestyle, 10% of respondents did not eat breakfast on the day prior to the survey. Eating breakfast is a must. Eating family meals can also have a healthy influence over diet, particularly for teenagers).

Active Alternatives to TV

“Energy balance is determined by physical activity as well as calorie intake, so it is also very important for parents to think about how much exercise their children – or the entire family – can include as part of a busy lifestyle,” says Dr. Logan. “With the increased use of cars and labour saving devices, there has been a decline in rates of “passive exercise”, those activities which use our energy as a part of everyday life.”

The WHO is recommending that TV use should be restricted in order to prevent obesity. An Irish study of 15-17 year olds found that obese adolescents were more than twice as likely to have a high incidence of sedentary leisure habits compared to normal or overweight adolescents. An Irish study by IUNA found that BMI and waist circumference increased as time spent on television increased.

Research is telling us that television viewing, playing video games for long periods of time, or not participating in sports outside school does promote obesity in children. TV viewing, computer and tv games actively compete with time for more energetic recreational activities.

60 Minutes Per Day

It is now generally accepted that children should be involved in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. However research is also telling us that parents who participate in activities with their children, organise activities and transport children to places where they can be active, are the most effective supporters of their children participating in physical activity.

Physical inactivity is a serious concern with regard to children and teenagers, because habits established in childhood may continue to adulthood.

Guides for Parents

The National Dairy Council (NDC) has a Dairy Den for parents of young children with information on weaning, nutrition for pre-school children (1-4 years) and school aged children including suggested meal plans (www.ndc.ie ).

The NDC nutritional team has also produced general fact sheets which are relevant to everyone but with parents particularly encouraged to read them in light of recent trends. The Guide to Healthy Eating and a Guide to Weight Loss are available free of charge (tel 01-6169726) or visit www.ndc.ie.

ENDS

Issued by: Antonina Ni Dhuinn, Progress Communications Tel: 01-2766117 nina@progresspr.ie

* Body Mass Index is a simple equation used to calculate body weight status
Body weight (kg) ÷ Height (m²)

 

Sources of information:

If you would like a list of sources for this information, please contact us on nutrition@ndc.ie