Good nutrition is the foundation to lifelong health, and it actually begins when your child is still a baby. Healthy eating is important to provide energy, sharpen his mind, and even to balance out his moods.
What is healthy eating?
Healthy eating is all about following a diet that is varied, balanced and moderate, to obtain the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and even the right types of fats, according to your daily requirements. But this is easier said than done. The current nutritional status of young children is especially worrying, with many of them malnourished.
According to the third National Health and Morbidity Survey carried out on 22,032 Malaysian children aged between 0-18 years, 13.2% of them were underweight and 15.8% of them suffered from stunting. These two conditions were found to be most significant in pre-schoolers.
According to a study conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2008, 25% of primary school children were found to be overweight and obese!
Why is this happening?
Malnutrition is often due to several reasons. However, perhaps the more prominent ones include poor diet and eating habits, usually a result of parental lack of knowledge and awareness on child nutrition. Children are not born with the ability to choose healthier diets, and it is through their parents that they learn how to select foods.
Many parents fail to provide meals that are varied and balanced, and most of the time, they do not ensure that their children eat regularly. The UKM 2008 study also showed that almost 30% of primary school children skipped breakfast, on average 2-3 times a week! This is rather shocking, as breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Developing healthy eating habits
Children can be easily nurtured when they are still young, especially between the ages of 2-7 years. They start to develop preferences towards foods that they enjoy, as well as foods that they eat more of. For example, offering fruits as snacks more often would help them develop a taste for fruits, instead of unhealthy snacks such as cookies or kuih-muih.
Moreover, they strongly adhere to the concept of “monkey see, monkey do”, which is why parents should be good role models. It is not going to do any good asking your child to eat his fruit and vegetables while you binge on curry puffs or pisang goreng!
Suit your schedule
Many parents may find it hard to prepare home cooked meals every day, especially since most of them are working 9 to 5 jobs. Not all meals have to start from scratch; you can find ways that work for you to prepare meals that are simple and fast.
Try preparing meals in larger amounts, and freeze separate small portions to be eaten later in the week. You can also prepare certain ingredients the night before, to save time the next day.
Healthy eating cannot be achieved overnight, and no doubt it will take time for any child to adapt to these healthier habits. Offer and substitute unhealthy snacks and foods with similar alternatives that are healthier.
Get your child into the habit of eating healthy food; start them young!
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