The parents should more pay attention on providing food for children. The reason is that research has shown children who snack on the outside have a tendency to obesity.
A study conducted at three secondary schools in the United States says, not least among students who regularly eat lunch at school or a snack, overweight.
They also tend to have high bad cholesterol or LDL, than children who routinely bring a lunch from home.
“Therefore, bring lunch from home more healthy. School environment itself is a good opportunity to teach children about healthy eating and the need to exercise, “said Elizabeth Jackson MD, MPH, as an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.
Elizabeth said, it is important to be known by the children of secondary school. Therefore, the time children begin to be educated to become more independent and not dependent on others.
If they are getting used to choose a healthy life by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, then this habit will continue to live until they are adults.
The study involved more than 1,000 junior high student, who had been asked to fill out a questionnaire that asked about some things. Among other things, what they eat, diet, how often do physical activity, and how many hours are spent each day watching television, playing video games, so how long to spend time in front of a computer screen.
Then the students are divided into three groups. The division of groups based on their answers are listed in the questionnaire. Students are divided into those who answered ‘always’ or ‘almost invariably’, snack at the school cafeteria or outside.
And the students who answered ‘always’ or ‘almost always’ bring their lunch from home. Meanwhile, students who answered ’sometimes’ snack inside or outside of school, or sometimes bring lunch from home.
The results then presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. Well, compared with children who bring food from home, children who snack at school have a tendency overweight or obese.
They also have a preference for two to eat more fatty foods, like meat, fried chicken or hot dogs in a day. Children who like to snack than bring their own food from home, every day, consuming sweet drinks two glasses or more than that.
They also ate fewer fresh fruits in a day-to-day, including eating vegetables. So, do not be surprised if eventually the children who enjoy this snack has a bad or LDL cholesterol higher than children who regularly enjoy their lunches from home.
Not only that, the study also noted that children who are not accustomed to bring a lunch from home, much less doing sport activity.
For example, basketball or walking, or incorporated in a sports team at school. They even spent more time watching television, playing video games, and using computers.
“As many as one-third of children in the United States today, suffering from obesity. This means that these children have a high chance to experience heart problems or diabetes when I grew up, “said Elizabeth.
She further said that, if we do not immediately deal with this, the death rate due to heart problems people will swell. So, if the packed food from home is the best for the children?
It seems Michael Barrett MD, cardiologist from Temple University in Philadelphia did not agree with this. According to him, preparing lunch for the children before they leave school, that provision does not mean that they eat when lunch.
Exchanging child could have lunch with her friend’s other food that they thought it was delicious.
They could freely buy snacks in the school cafeteria, therefore, he recommends parents to work with schools, to ensure that food provided at the school canteen or by the school itself, is provided with a little salt and fat.
In contrast, more fiber. Parents also need to bring a healthy diet at home, either for a snack or eat heavy.
Encourage children to exercise, too. It could be by taking cycling holiday or push participate in school sports teams. Recent data indicate approximately 30.6 million students in America or snacks outside the school cafeteria.
While only 6% of the lunch program at the school provided the school, meet the requirements of healthy foods in accordance to United States Department of Agriculture.
For example, with a little salt on the food given. The rest, as many as 80% of the schools, do not obey the rules that have been defined. With fatty foods served more than 30% of total calories.
