Just because you can.

Ever since my last piece on the issue of overweight and obesity in children, I've been besieged by questions on the subject, so I thought it only fair to come back here and attempt to answer some (if not all) of the questions.

Since the most common questions have been - "How do I prevent this in my kids?" or "What can I do about my overweight kid?" these are the two questions I'm going to address.

As always, the answer is almost annoying in its simplicity: let your kid be a kid.

Have you ever stood at the entrance of a play group for toddlers at closing time? I have and I'll tell you a secret - I've never seen a kid walk out sedately to a waiting car. They always come out at a run and then get to the car and hop or wiggle from one foot to the other until the car is opened (what we the adults would call fidgeting). If you stop to think about it you'll realize that most adults often find themselves shouting - "Don't run or you'll fall" (or some such equivalent) at these times.

I'd always wondered why kids do this, and decided to ask my then three-year-old niece. Her answer was short and sweet - "Because I can"
My adult brain just didn't get it (at least not at the time). She's eight years old now and still runs and hops "for no good reason", turns cartwheels on impulse (of course always closely imitated by her baby brother) and loves to swim, swing, and bike 'just because she can'. I know I must have been that way at some point in my life. What I just don't remember exactly is when and why I stopped running, hopping, and jumping, just for the heck of it. What happened to me? Again the answer is very simple - I grew up.

The thing is, if we allow or create circumstances that allow a kid to be a kid then, all things being equal, it's rare that you'll ever have an obese child on your hands.

The USDA recommends that the average child engage in active play (what my adult mind thinks of as exercise) for at least 1 hour every day. If you asked my four year old for an opinion, you can bet he would strongly agree with the USDA. The USDA also recommends that every child aged 2 and above consume a a varied diet consisting of foods from each food group, with emphasis on whole milk (or other dairy equivalent) for children under five. 100% fruit juices are the preferred drink instead of sodas, but should be limited to no more than half to one cup/serving to avoid robbing the child of her appetite at a later meal, as children fill up very easily. Other than that, healthful family meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium and vitamin D (from oily fish) should suffice.

Most experts would recommend  that a total of 5-6 meals be offered in the course of the day - usually 3 main meals and 2 snacks. Depending on how picky your child is or other prevailing circumstances, your health care giver may recommend that you start your child on some multivitamin or the other. Still, if a child  does not suffer from any known health constraints and has a healthy appetite, ideally he/she would best obtain all the nutrients needed from their diet. Studies have proven again and again that most children who are offered these kind of choices will self-regulate and have almost no risk of overweight or obesity.

In these days when time, space and issues of security have become real challenges, the onus lies on the child's primary caregiver to deliberately create/ make time for opportunities for active play. Nowadays many gyms offer play space for children so that they get to 'play' while mum and dad 'work out' (Oh why did I ever grow up?).

Most good schools should usually have a large enough play ground with slides, swings, twisty towers and ladders (what the adults would consider brightly colored work-out equipment). The thing is to encourage your kid to spend less time infront of the computer or TV and more time on the playground/park; always accompanied by a capable adult of course. One woman I know actually bought a work-out dance video and had her kids work-out with her every day for one hour. They loved spending time with their mum and she found ready work-out partners that would never let her slide with her work-out program; a win-win situation if you ask me. Another good friend of mine makes it a point to hit the biking trail near her house with her whole family at least twice a week.

The issue is one of leading by example. Your kid will copy what she sees you do, so be what you want your child to become, just because you can.