Eating habits in children, whether for better or worse, are the responsibility of the parents. The rhythm of life that we lead makes it difficult for us to do everything that we wish, but we must not lower our guard in feeding our children.
According to the V CinfaSalud Study, endorsed by the Spanish Society of Outpatient Pediatrics and Primary Care (SEPEAP), Spanish parents are not doing too well. The use of screens while eating, incomplete breakfasts, insufficient fruits and vegetables and not sharing the family table are some of the subjects we suspend.
Enemy screens of good habits
Years ago he noticed the bad habit of many children eating in front of the TV. Now the screens have shrunk, but the risk of maintaining this habit is still valid and not only because they damage the sight of children.
According to the study, 71% of small Spaniards eat while watching television, watch a tablet or manipulate a smartphone, a bad habit that affects your health: experts warn that Children who eat in front of a screen have a higher risk of obesity.
Of all of them, 5.2 percent always eat in front of a screen, 20.3 percent do so regularly, and 45.5 percent sometimes. But why are screens not welcome at the table? Many parents believe otherwise, that if they eat while watching TV or use a tablet they eat faster and better. But it really is not a good habit.
Precisely for that, because they eat mechanically, without paying attention to what they eat. It prevents enjoying the flavors and textures of food, keys for children who are learning to eat (because they also learn to eat) to establish a positive relationship with food since they are young.
In addition, the screens "prevent family conversation and nullify any possibility on the part of the parents to instill their children healthy habits at the table," said Cristóbal Coronel, secretary and member of the SEPEAP Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Pathology working group.
Parents who do not see their children's obesity
Another worrying aspect of the study is the perception that parents have about the weight of their children, which does not correspond to reality in four out of ten cases.
13.1 percent of parents are not aware of the actual overweight or obesity of their child. In addition, among those who are aware that their son or daughter is not at their normal weight, 43.1% percent do not take action.
Only 40.3 percent of parents take it to the pediatrician or family doctor, 3.9 percent, to a nutritionist and one in ten puts it on a diet on their own initiative without consulting a professional.
Breakfast to exam
The fattest failure of the parents begins as soon as we get up. Eight out of ten Spanish children do not eat breakfast properly. It is the most important meal of the day that should provide energy for the rest of the day and should cover between 20-25% of children's nutritional needs.
A good breakfast must include a trio of foolproof foods: dairy, cereals and fruit, avoiding industrial pastries.
In the middle of the morning, although it is recommended to eat a piece of seasonal fruit, a yogurt or a cheese sandwich or other dairy equivalent, the snack is still the preferred food both in lunches (73.1%) and in snacks (70.8%).
Many meat and few fruits and vegetables
More than half of children (51.9 percent) consume meat four to seven times a week, although experts advise doing it between one and three times to avoid excess protein in the diet.
Only one in five children (21.3 percent) take fish as often as recommended (more than three times a week), while only one in ten eats vegetables more than seven times a week. As for fruits, only 30.3 take it with that frequency.
Eat with family
Sharing the family table is essential to instill good eating habits. The example of parents and nutritional education at the table plays a very important role in educating our children and creating a positive environment.
But nevertheless, Only 37.3 percent of Spanish parents usually eat with their children (ten or more weekly meals), while 28.6 percent spend less than one meal or dinner a day with them. In addition, 17.4 percent do not usually eat the same as their sons and daughters at lunch or dinner.
