Healthy Eating Strategies Inspire Lifelong Health in Children

​Young children need a variety of nutrients to get the energy they need to grow and develop. This is
not always an easy feat for parents! Good nutrition is also important as we see a rise in childhood
obesity. Stats from 2017 found that 30% of Canada’s youth were considered to be overweight or
obese and in the U.S., the statistics are even higher. These figures have significantly increased over
the past couple of decades and childhood obesity is now considered a public health concern.
Overweight children tend to become overweight or obese adults which can lead to the premature
onset of a variety of illnesses. There is even a rise in childhood diabetes (type 2) that was not seen
before. Excessive weight at any age is linked to many physical health concerns from insulin
resistance, high blood pressure (hypertension), and other chronic diseases. A decrease in emotional
and social well-being is also noted for many overweight individuals and this is also true in children
from a lack of self-worth to social isolation.
Feeding your infant and toddler healthy, low sugar, non-processed foods during the first three years of
life helps to provide a great opportunity to shape lifelong, healthy eating habits. It also teaches them
what nutritious foods are supposed to taste like. It has been shown that when children are only given
healthy foods in these first few years, they are better able to not overindulge in low nutrient/processed
foods later in life.
Everyone could use more vegetables in their diet. A good rule is to ensure your child has at minimum
one leafy green, one colourful vegetable, and one above ground vegetable every day. Hiding veggies
in “milkshakes” as smoothies, in sauces, and in baking are some ways to get more in every day.
Ensuring their diet includes good quality protein, especially in the morning, will help stabilize their
mood and improve concentration at school. Studies also show that those who skip breakfast tend to
overindulge throughout the day. Examples of breakfast protein options include: eggs, organic Greek
yogurt, protein smoothies, and steel cut oatmeal loaded with nuts and seeds. A children’s multivitamin
or other supplement can be helpful to fill in the gaps when a diet is less than perfect; however, some
of these are loaded with sugar and food dyes which are not beneficial and can also be hard on their
growing teeth.
Teaching your children how to lead a healthy lifestyle early on cannot only help to prevent childhood
obesity but can assist them in becoming health-conscious adults and reduce their risk of chronic
disease later in life. At our clinics, we offer Well-Child examinations and nutritional advice to support
families of all ages.