InFocus | Back to School
To grow up healthy, wealthy and wise...
Parents and schools need to work together to ensure optimum nutrition for youngsters
- By Catherine Rankin Harper, Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:00 September 7, 2010
- Image Credit: sUPPLIED
- Schoolgirl with packed lunch
Given that the average school day involves several hours away from home, it is no surprise that parents cannot always control what their child eats. Recent studies showing a growing trend of obesity amongst young people indicate that food choices are not always nutritious or healthy, so what can parents do to make sure their child consumes a wholesome diet instead of gorging on junk food?
Ensuring each meal offered to your child is balanced and healthy is a good start, says Tracy Friedrick, registered dietician at The Dubai Mall Medical Centre.
"Aim to include one food from each of the four food groups, making sure that at least three food groups are present at each meal," she says. "This means choosing a fruit or vegetable, [which] can be fresh, canned or dried; a grain product, whole grain when possible; a milk product or substitute and a protein source. Many lunches lack fruit, vegetables and whole grains, all essential for health and growth."
Dalia Shukri, clinical dietician at Abela & Co based at the American Hospital Dubai, agrees. "The key to a healthy diet is not to exclude any foods or food groups, but to balance what the child is eating by consuming a variety of foods in the right proportions," she says.
Recipe for success
Although meals taken in the home can easily be monitored by parents, making sure your child eats a healthy lunch and snacks when at school can be harder. A little co-operation between parent and youngster can help, says Friedrick, and she recommends including children in food shopping trips and allowing them to be involved in both the preparation and packing of the lunch. "While there is no guarantee, when parent and child are both involved in planning and preparing the lunch, the chance of success is much greater," she says.
Shukri recognises the challenges parents face when trying to prepare interesting, varied meals.
"The key to a successful lunch box is to have a selection of three to four different items that are appealing and eye-catching as well as providing a full range of nutrients," she says.
Any treats included should be fun size only, says Friedrick, to allow children to enjoy their favourites while limiting their intake of less healthy options, while Shukri recommends offering dried fruits such as raisins as an alternative to sweets.
Remembering your child may have dramatically different tastes to your own is vital, says Friedrick. "While a roasted artichoke and red pepper panini with goat's cheese may sound interesting to you, if your [children] think it's weird, they won't eat it," she says. "While there's no need to be boring, sticking to foods and combinations your child is familiar with will help make sure they give their lunch a try."
Parents should also consider how well the food sent to school will keep, and how easy it will be to eat. "Putting tomato onto sandwiches ahead of time, while healthy, will lead to very soggy bread," says Friedrick. "Putting whole fruit that is hard to peel or eat makes it less likely to be eaten — choose easy items [such as] grapes that require little preparation, especially for young children."
Enhanced brain power
With the school day involving a great deal of activity, are there any foods you should provide to ensure your child has optimum attention span and energy? According to Shukri, studies have been found that certain foods — including oats, oily fish, nuts, flaxseed, strawberries, blueberries and eggs — are particularly effective in enhancing brain function, and should therefore be included as part of a balanced diet.
Friedrick says many foods that provide energy do so in a short burst that quickly leaves children tired and listless, so parents should ensure they offer whole grain carbohydrates such as whole grain crackers, wholewheat pasta and high-fibre cereal along with a lean protein source to help energy last longer.
Both Friedrick and Shukri say parents should make sure their child gets a good start to the day. "The saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day holds true," says Friedrick. "Studies show that children who eat breakfast have better concentration, perform better in exams and problem solving and act out less than children who don't."
Shukri finds that without breakfast, many children can become hungry mid-morning, which can affect their concentration. "Even short-term lack of food can affect brain function," she says.
Supplementing your child's diet with vitamins should not generally be necessary even if your child is a fussy eater.
"By offering your child a good variety of foods including fruits and vegetables, you will help your child get all the nutrients necessary for health — it's important to teach your children that good nutrition comes from food, not pills," says Friedrick.
"However, if you have concerns that your child is not growing or eating well, it is important to see your paediatrician or dietician and they can help you decide if a supplement is necessary and help you choose one appropriate for your child's needs."
A child who is not thriving or eating well may have a medical condition, in which case supplementation may be required. "If a child has some health condition that prevents them from consuming a particular food — lactose intolerance, for example — certain supplementation may be used, however, it is important to check with a primary health care provider," says Shukri.
While parents are in control of what goes into their child's lunch box, other options may be available to them while at school and as such, healthy eating at school should be a team effort, according to Shukri. "Many schools have taken initiatives to promote healthy eating habits and provide their students with healthy and nutritious choices," she says. "It's important that parents and the school work hand in hand to ensure optimum health and nutrition for their children and students." n
More sport in schools
A recent topic for discussion at the Federal National Council has been the lack of sport in schools, given that childhood obesity and diseases such as diabetes appear to be on the rise. It seems this is also of concern to parents and teachers in the UAE.
"So many children sit inside in front of computer games these days and you need a balance in your life," says teacher Carolyn Wilson, 53. "If children aren't getting exercise at home, then they need to get it at school in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimise the risk of becoming obese or developing diseases [such as] diabetes. We never used to see many cases [of diabetes] in our school but more and more children are now diagnosed with [the disease]."
Farida Ahmed, 26, and a mother of two young boys, agrees. "We try to make sure our children are active during the day but they also need to get some exercise at school, to give them a break from sitting in lessons," she says. "Many children at our sons' school seem to be quite overweight and they don't like to do sport, so they need to be encouraged to become more active. Parents also need to be educated that sport and exercise is of benefit to their child's health."
Sport can also help develop gross and fine motor skills and co-ordination, says teacher Liz Murray, 41. "Sadly, many children nowadays seem to lack key skills such as these and it's clear they are not developing them at home, therefore schools have a responsibility to make sure they are compensating for this in school hours."
