Start ’em young

English chef Jamie Oliver is on an anti-obesity mission in the US where he is trying to inculcate healthy eating habits among children. With Healthy Kids Day just around the corner, Active! gives you diet, fitness and prevention mantras for your child

Start 'em young

In the US, a food revolution is underway, courtesy chef Jamie Oliver and first lady Michelle Obama who are trying to change the eating habits of a nation now considered the third among the world's fattest countries.

Experts advise that children be encouraged to opt for swimming and other sports from an early age.

In a six-part TV series, Jamie's Revolution, the chef heads to Huntington, West Virginia, one of the unhealthiest cities in America and tries altering eating habits in schools and homes. Michelle Obama has also been getting children to help her grow fruits and vegetables in the White House garden.

Alarm bells are also ringing in India. In 2010, a Sports Skills and Fitness survey was conducted in tandem with EduSports, which covered 21 schools across 14 Indian cities. Research showed that 43% children, aged 7 and above, had a higher body mass index linked to obesity.

Here's are three expert mantras to raise a healthy child (for ages 4 to 14).

Fitness mantra
Don't make exercise seem like punishment

Exercise is a must but it's necessary to gauge your child's likes and dislikes, says Namita Jain, Clinical Fitness Specialist at Bombay Hospital. In her new book, Jaldi Fit Kids, she advocates a physical regimen that works on the child's stamina levels, flexibility and posture. "Physical activity should be introduced in a fun manner and children can be encouraged to play cricket in the park, do yoga, swim or go for martial arts based on their choice," she says. According to her, parents should also set an example by exercising themselves or taking children out on hiking trips.

Diet Mantra
Go vegan
A vegan diet with an emphasis on consuming fruits and vegetables but no oil or milk products may not seem the most appealing to a child. But Dr Nandita Shah, a homeopath and holistic nutrition specialist disagrees. "Children do fall in love with vegan diets if they are cooked well and there is variety," she says.
Vegans believe that non-vegan diets are high in protein and hence acidic, which makes them hard to digest. "There are vegan substitutes to meat, fish, and milk products and when cooked well, a holistic vegan diet is not tough to apply," she added. Among the common substitutes are the use of soya milk instead of milk and the use of nuts to stir-fry vegetables instead of using oil.

Prevention mantra
Make kids aware of basic medical practices
"You have to be a friend to your children so that they confide in you in case of depression, peer pressure or suicidal tendencies," advises Dr S Kondekar, paediatrician and Assistant Professor-Department of Pediatrics at Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital.
He adds that children should be given a basic know-how of tackling illnesses such as fever, nausea and asthma, which will help them in times of need as well as empower them to help others.