Health and fitness for every body
As well as being taught life lessons on how to deal with setbacks and challenges, it’s vital that children are taught how to take care of their bodies. We are what we eat, and food plays a huge role in our mood and general health. Exercise is just as important to explore with children. It promotes the development of healthy bones, and muscles and is also great for one’s mental health. Learning about the components of a healthy lifestyle and being literate on the matter can help children develop good habits for the future, prevent disease and give them the right start to life. If you would like to explore health and fitness with your child and are unsure of where to start, take a look at the advice we’ve included below from a prep school in London.
Our diet plays a huge role in our quality of life. We need to consume the right food to fuel our bodies and it’s especially important for young children who are growing up. As children are active throughout their day, they will need sufficient carbs for energy, protein for muscle growth and development and healthy fats for energy, organ protection and cell function. There are various vitamins and minerals that the body needs, and a lack of any can lead to deficiency and bigger health problems. A prime example of this is vitamin D. Living in the UK there’s not much that we’re exposed to. Having too little in the body can cause bone issues, like rickets where they become soft and weak. While it’s largely gained through sunlight, you can help your child top up their vitamin D levels by making sure that they eat oily fish, and eggs and introducing a supplement.
As well as eating the right foods, it’s equally important to minimise the bad foods that we consume. Processed and ultra-processed foods are especially important to avoid. The chemicals they contain, like preservatives and artificial colourings, can be hazardous to health. Studies have found a link between consuming 4 servings of ultra-processed foods a day and a 62% increased risk of all-cause mortality. They are also addictive in nature which means that we’re likely to overindulge, leading to obesity in children. To help your child understand nutrition better and the foods that they should and should not eat, you can use the “eat well plate” which illustrates it perfectly. Another thing to explore to help your child make better food choices are the food labels themselves. They can be quite complicated to understand and often take some maths. Understanding these bits of information can help them to manage their healthy, balanced diets.
The NHS recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day for children between the ages of 5 and 18 years old. To help keep children fit and healthy, they are required to take part in 2 hours of PE a week at school. Outside of that it’s vital that you try and get your child to exercise. To get in some more steps, try walking to school as opposed to driving in or getting the bus. You will save money in the process, avoid the hassle of having to park up and be healthier as a result. Another option worth considering is an after-school sports club. Sports are a brilliant way to get children active. They are fun and an opportunity to make new friends. They will get so caught up in the games that they’ll forget that they’re even exercising!
We hope that this post offers some insight. For more health and nutrition content, feel free to read my other blogs.
This is a collaborative post.
