On to my second post on misconceptions I hear from parents in the office. Today we are going to talk about healthy eating in kids. There are two common ones I hear. "He is very active so it's all right if he eats a lot of junk food." And "He is just a kid so I don't worry about what he eats."
So, let's review the reasons about why kids need to eat healthy from birth.
1. To promote good growth and development.
2. To prevent chronic illnesses later in life. Heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses don't just suddenly start when you are old. The changes in your body start when you are young but they are not noticeable at that time.
3. To start healthy habits at a young age. Just like with the teeth brushing one doesn't just magically start having good habits later in life. If your child grows up eating junk food then that is what they will eat as an adult. If your child is used to sitting down at family meal times and eating fruits and veggies then they are more likely to as an adult. (and as a bonus they will also teach their kids healthy habits!)
Now about exercise -- you cannot cancel out junk food with exercise! Everyone needs to exercise regardless of their weight, what they eat, or health status. Why? For the same reasons as why the need to eat healthy!
Next up misconceptions about illness and fever.
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