10 Weight-Loss Meals for Children Suffering from Obesity

• Today, 20% of Thai children are considered obese due to a diet of foods high in fat and protein, as well as reduced physical activity and exercise.
• Childhood obesity causes both short and long-term health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and knee buckling.
• Choosing meals that provide sufficient energy eaten in moderation will help to prevent children from developing obesity, and can help those with obesity issues to lose weight.

There’s an ongoing increase in the number of overweight and obese children. This is primarily due to lifestyle changes in urban areas, along with the increase in facilities that cater to reduced body movement and exercise leading to far more sedentary behaviors. The influences of a greater influx of Western food containing high fat and protein content as well as the ease with which one can buy and eat such a wide variety of foods have also added to the obesity problem. Today, obesity has increased drastically, and now affects more than 20 percent of Thai children who, in most cases, then grow into obese adults as well.

Obesity in children can cause many health problems, both in the short and long-term, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and knee buckling.

Children, therefore, should receive consultation and examination from a pediatrician in the following areas:

• Dietary recommendations, including issues of refusing to eat, abnormal eating habits, and eating in excess
• Nutritional assessment and screening, including malnutrition and overnutrition
• Examination for abnormalities in the bloodstream due to under or overnutrition
• Evaluation of body fat levels to ensure these do not exceed standard levels
• Checkup for obesity complications, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes and hepatitis.
• Measurement of body fat with a body composition analyzer

Take preventative steps before it’s too late using some of these simple menus to help keep weight down:

1. Fish Congee or Pork Congee: Tasty, easy to eat, attractive to children, and full of benefits.
2. Chicken Soup with Potatoes: Contains protein from the chicken and starch in the potatoes which children love.
3. Stuffed Squid in Clear Soup: Rich in nutrients from pork and chicken stuffed inside the squid, and full of bright colors from the carrots and green leafy vegetables.
4. Soft Pork Meatballs in Clear Soup: Soft, round, easy-to-eat pork meatballs with lots of colorful vegetables.
5. Clear Soup with Pork and Seaweed: Helps children get practice with eating more vegetables
6. Fried Pork with Garlic over Rice: A favorite for many children—but be careful not to allow extra servings of rice.
7. Pork Congee with Vegetables: This is a filling meal that also provides plenty of good energy. Mothers can choose from a variety of brightly colored vegetables to add to the dish for a more appetizing appeal.
8. Steamed Pork with Salted Eggs: Plenty of great protein value from the soft, steamed pork and the salted eggs.
9. Noodle Soup: You can use wide rice noodles, thin rice noodles, vermicelli or egg noodles, but don’t forget to add vegetables. This is a great lunch menu, as it’s filling but not fattening.
10. Pan-fried Eggs with Toppings: Sometimes change from the usual boiled eggs, fried eggs, omelets and steamed eggs and make pan-fried eggs with toppings of soft pork, crab sticks, tuna, sausages and colorful vegetables instead.

Just these few simple dishes will provide plenty of dietary benefit and value without being overly fattening, and are sure to be favorites with your children.