The province’s Ministry of Health seeks to raise awareness among parents so that they control what their children eat during school hours.
They consider that a healthy diet is a pillar in the development of boys and girls, so the search for accessible and useful strategies and resources is essential to be able to carry it out. It is very important to consider that children’s nutrition is totally related to what parents do at home, this indicates that it should start there, adding to the proposal that they find and carry out healthy eating habits at school.
From the Ministry of Health they assured that children and adolescents, in the school environment, consume 40% more sugary drinks, 2 times more snacks and 3 times more sweets compared to adults.
It happens in almost all families, often due to lack of time or getting up at the last minute, the boys skip breakfast at home and arrive at school with an empty belly. Thus, they end up taking cookies or money to buy something to eat at the kiosk. In these cases, the most important recommendation is that children choose foods that do not come in packages, that are not ultra-processed.
The professionals also highlighted that regardless of the shift in which they attend classes, children should not skip breakfast; to be considered complete, it must include dairy products, small portions of cookies or bread, and some fruit.
In the backpack they should carry a personal bottle of water to hydrate, avoiding sodas, it is important to teach them to choose foods that do not contain much salt, fat and sugar, in this sense they suggest natural popcorn, without salt or sugar, a cereal bar, tutucas, fruits, fruit salad, yogurts, dehydrated fruits, a small portion of sweet cookies or sponge cake.
When main meals are eaten at home, snacks brought to school should be nutritious and small in size.
Given
Nutrition in childhood plays a very important role in the development and growth of boys and girls, and in the prevention of overweight in adolescence and adulthood. It is recommended that they consume a large amount of water and include some protein and vegetables, respecting their tastes.
Children have high nutritional requirements, because they are in stages of growth and development, so the combination of foods from different groups is recommended to provide all the nutrients they need.