National Science Popularization Day | How many of these pitfalls have you fallen into when it comes to children’s weight loss?

As living standards improve, the number of obese people increases. The latest national data shows that the proportion of overweight and obese people in my country is more than 40% of the monitored population, and 10%-20% of children are overweight or obese.

Children are at an important stage of growth and development. The synthesis of too many fat cells or tissues at this time will have short-term and long-term adverse effects on different organs of our body, such as fatty liver, diabetes, hyperuricemia, hypertension, precocious puberty, etc.

As a result, many parents and children began to become obsessed with various weight loss legends, falling into one pit after another. However, these legends not only fail to help with weight loss, but are even harmful to children's bodies.

Therefore, in order to prevent parents and children from making mistakes on the road to weight loss, the following article will sort out some common misunderstandings in children's weight loss process, hoping to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

1. It’s cute to be a little fat when you are young, but you will naturally become thin when you grow up.

wrong.

Pregnancy, birth, infancy and preschool are four windows of obesity in the life cycle. Preschool is an important period for the development of eating and living habits. Studies have shown that obese preschool children have a higher probability of becoming obese school children or even adults. Moreover, childhood obesity can also cause damage to the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, respiratory system and liver, exercise, bones, psychological behavior, cognition, intelligence and other aspects. Therefore, we should not underestimate it.

2. Losing weight means eating less meat or even no meat

wrong.

As the main source of high-quality protein, meat is particularly important for children in the process of growth and development. Children with a good appetite will eat a lot of meat and consume excessive fat and sugar, which are precisely the driving forces behind obesity.

Therefore, in the process of children's weight loss, the meat selection should be mainly lean meat without skin, fish, shrimp, eggs and milk are also good choices, and the intake should be based on the recommendations of professionals. In terms of cooking methods, low-oil, low-sugar, steamed, boiled, etc. are preferred.

3. Unlimited amount of juice and milk

wrong.

Many parents think that juice and milk are healthy foods, so they do not restrict children from drinking them.

Separately speaking, for fruit juice, whether freshly squeezed or store-bought, it contains higher sugar and fewer nutrients (decomposed by light, mechanical damage, etc.) than whole fruits. Not only does it need to be limited in amount, it is best to use the fruit itself as a substitute.

It should be noted that even for fruit itself, one serving per day is still appropriate.
As for milk, we often say that drinking more milk will help you grow taller because it is rich in protein and calcium, but drinking milk without limit will easily lead to excessive intake of fat. Therefore, for obese children, you can choose low-fat or skim milk, about 300ml per day, and actively participate in physical exercise to promote the absorption and utilization of calcium.

4. The staple food is mainly coarse grains

wrong.

Due to its low glycemic index, whole grains are highly recommended by people who are trying to lose weight. However, for children whose digestive systems are not yet fully developed, excessive intake of whole grains will increase the burden on gastrointestinal function, causing bloating, indigestion and other problems. It will also affect the body's absorption of nutrients such as calcium and iron, affecting children's health. Therefore, whole grains should not account for more than 1/3 of the staple food.

5. High-intensity exercise

wrong.

Because of the large base weight, high-intensity exercise is prone to knee injuries and other problems. Since most obesity is caused by bad living habits, in the early stages of weight loss, we should focus on eliminating bad habits.

In addition to inappropriate eating habits, most obese children are accustomed to sitting for long periods of time. We can take them off the bench and cultivate their interest in participating in outdoor activities, such as cycling, playing ball, swimming, etc., walk to and from school more often, and arrange outings, mountain climbing and other activities on holidays. It is best to exercise for one hour every day.

As for high-intensity exercise, you can do it under the guidance of professionals after you have lost some weight.

6. Obesity is caused by overnutrition

wrong.

Although most obesity is caused by overnutrition, some children still suffer from diseases of the adrenal glands or pituitary glands. Before losing weight, it is safer and more effective to go to the hospital for a physical examination to rule out related diseases. If obesity is caused by disease, the weight will gradually return to normal after the disease is treated.

Summarize

Unbalanced nutrient intake is a big taboo for children to lose weight, so they should first go to the hospital's nutrition department for professional consultation;

When parents help their children lose weight at home, they can follow the advice of professionals and focus on changing bad habits and lifestyles;

Limit snacks that are high in sugar, fat, and salt (cakes, potato chips, candy, cola, milk tea, ice cream, etc.);

Choose food rationally, eat at regular times and in appropriate amounts, use cooking methods that use less oil, and keep detailed records of the amount of food you eat at each meal;

Slow down when eating and chew thoroughly;

Reduce the time spent looking at electronic products, avoid sitting for long periods of time, and do more outdoor activities;

Ensure adequate sleep time, etc.

Project source: Shanghai Science and Technology Commission Science Popularization Project Funding (Project No.: 21DZ2301800)

Author: Xiang Yi Niu Yang | Department of Clinical Nutrition, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine