Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Course: Health Education for Young Children Department: Child and Family Studies Instructor: Kyung Eun Jahng 1

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 2 The Importance of Nutrition in Early Childhood Adequate nutrition is the foundation of health in life. Nutrition affects children’s physical development, infection, resistance to disease, brain development and personality formation. Children with good nutrition have good concentration and learn more from physical activities and learning experiences. Children with poor nutrition tend to be inhibited and quiet or to show hyperactivity or destructive behavior. Adequate nutrition is the foundation of health in life. Nutrition affects children’s physical development, infection, resistance to disease, brain development and personality formation. Children with good nutrition have good concentration and learn more from physical activities and learning experiences. Children with poor nutrition tend to be inhibited and quiet or to show hyperactivity or destructive behavior.

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 3 Nutrition-related Problems 1.Imbalanced diet: eating only what one likes while rejecting certain kinds of food, resulting in the problems in development and growth. Bad eating habits lead to imbalanced diet and undernourishment. How to prevent: (1) providing many opportunities to be exposed to different food (2) parents play a role model for good eating habits (3) changing recipe frequently (4) not forcing a child to eat what he/she dislikes and substituting it with other food with similar nutrition elements (5) making meal settings pleasing (6) offering less amount of food with adequate nutrition (7) having a child eat with friends with well-balanced diet (8) having a child exercise for good appetite 1.Imbalanced diet: eating only what one likes while rejecting certain kinds of food, resulting in the problems in development and growth. Bad eating habits lead to imbalanced diet and undernourishment. How to prevent: (1) providing many opportunities to be exposed to different food (2) parents play a role model for good eating habits (3) changing recipe frequently (4) not forcing a child to eat what he/she dislikes and substituting it with other food with similar nutrition elements (5) making meal settings pleasing (6) offering less amount of food with adequate nutrition (7) having a child eat with friends with well-balanced diet (8) having a child exercise for good appetite

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 4 Nutrition-related Problems 2.Obesity: obesity from early childhood to adolescence. Fat cells enlarge and the number of fat cells also increases. Obesity becomes fixed. It leads to diabetes and high blood pressure in adulthood and affects a sense of psychological inferiority, resulting in poor academic performance. Causes: (1) westernized eating habits (instant food) (2) irregular dietary life (3) fast eating speed (4) overeating (5) frequent eating snacks (6) lack of workout (sedentary life) (7) lack of play spaces (8) development of transportation (9) increase in working mothers (not enough supervision) (10) using food as a tool for reinforcement/punishment 2.Obesity: obesity from early childhood to adolescence. Fat cells enlarge and the number of fat cells also increases. Obesity becomes fixed. It leads to diabetes and high blood pressure in adulthood and affects a sense of psychological inferiority, resulting in poor academic performance. Causes: (1) westernized eating habits (instant food) (2) irregular dietary life (3) fast eating speed (4) overeating (5) frequent eating snacks (6) lack of workout (sedentary life) (7) lack of play spaces (8) development of transportation (9) increase in working mothers (not enough supervision) (10) using food as a tool for reinforcement/punishment

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 5 Nutrition-related Problems Children with obesity tend to resolve frustration through eating and have difficulty in controlling appetite. How to prevent: (1)Encouraging a child to engage in physical activities on a regular basis (2)Preventing a child from overeating food with high calories (3)Preventing a child from overdrinking sugared beverage (4)Having a child eat food at set times (5)Adults play a role model for good eating habits (6)Teaching a child how to deal with stress and emotion without relying on food. Children with obesity tend to resolve frustration through eating and have difficulty in controlling appetite. How to prevent: (1)Encouraging a child to engage in physical activities on a regular basis (2)Preventing a child from overeating food with high calories (3)Preventing a child from overdrinking sugared beverage (4)Having a child eat food at set times (5)Adults play a role model for good eating habits (6)Teaching a child how to deal with stress and emotion without relying on food.

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 6 Nutrition-related Problems 3.Anemia: a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness. This belongs to one of the 10 factors threatening health according to the report by WHO (2002). It is associated with delayed brain development, inability to concentrate, and distraction, leading to poor academic performance and mental weakness. Research has found that iron deficiency in childhood results in poor cognitive, motor, and social-emotional function. How to prevent: (1) having iron-rich foods, dried fruits, red meats, peanuts (2) children need to ingest 10 mg of iron per day. (3) taking iron through food 3.Anemia: a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness. This belongs to one of the 10 factors threatening health according to the report by WHO (2002). It is associated with delayed brain development, inability to concentrate, and distraction, leading to poor academic performance and mental weakness. Research has found that iron deficiency in childhood results in poor cognitive, motor, and social-emotional function. How to prevent: (1) having iron-rich foods, dried fruits, red meats, peanuts (2) children need to ingest 10 mg of iron per day. (3) taking iron through food

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 7 Nutrition-related Problems 4.Food allergy: abnormal immunity hypersensitivity reaction by food resulting in a variety of symptoms in entire body parts, including an atopic dermatitis and asthma. Food allergy occurs within the first year of life. Food that may cause allergy includes milk, egg, peanuts, wheat, and bean. How to prevent: (1) It is better to limit food that may cause allergy before the age of 2. 4.Food allergy: abnormal immunity hypersensitivity reaction by food resulting in a variety of symptoms in entire body parts, including an atopic dermatitis and asthma. Food allergy occurs within the first year of life. Food that may cause allergy includes milk, egg, peanuts, wheat, and bean. How to prevent: (1) It is better to limit food that may cause allergy before the age of 2.

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 8 Education for Developing Good Eating Habits 1.Eating habit education should begin from 3 years of age and bad eating habits should be corrected. 2.Should guide children in appropriate ways according to their ages 3.Guidance and education should be consistent. There should be no exception. 4.Children need to understand what is right and wrong behavior in eating habits. It is effective to praise for good eating habits. 5.Education should be done repeatedly until good habits are formed. 6.Considering children’s tendency to imitate others, it is necessary to show what good eating habits look like in daily lives. 1.Eating habit education should begin from 3 years of age and bad eating habits should be corrected. 2.Should guide children in appropriate ways according to their ages 3.Guidance and education should be consistent. There should be no exception. 4.Children need to understand what is right and wrong behavior in eating habits. It is effective to praise for good eating habits. 5.Education should be done repeatedly until good habits are formed. 6.Considering children’s tendency to imitate others, it is necessary to show what good eating habits look like in daily lives.

Childhood Obesity

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 10 Childhood Obesity Raised Body Mass Index (BMI) is a major risk factor for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many cancers. Obesity in children is associated with significant reductions in quality of life and a greater risk of teasing, bullying, and social isolation.BMI Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to become overweight or obese adults. Although child-onset overweight accounts for only 25 percent of adult obesity, obese adults who were overweight as children have much more severe obesity than adults who become obese in adulthood. Raised Body Mass Index (BMI) is a major risk factor for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many cancers. Obesity in children is associated with significant reductions in quality of life and a greater risk of teasing, bullying, and social isolation.BMI Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to become overweight or obese adults. Although child-onset overweight accounts for only 25 percent of adult obesity, obese adults who were overweight as children have much more severe obesity than adults who become obese in adulthood.

Week 10 Nutrition and Obesity Page 11 How to Deal With Childhood Obesity at Child Care Centers 1.Implement a high-quality health promotion program for caregivers: Staff health promotion programs are a good strategy for improving staff morale, attendance, and overall performance, contributing to children’s health by giving caregivers the skills and motivation they need to become powerful role models for good health. 2.Increase opportunities for children to engage in physical activities. 3.Educating children to become healthy, productive citizens who can make meaningful contributions to society. 1.Implement a high-quality health promotion program for caregivers: Staff health promotion programs are a good strategy for improving staff morale, attendance, and overall performance, contributing to children’s health by giving caregivers the skills and motivation they need to become powerful role models for good health. 2.Increase opportunities for children to engage in physical activities. 3.Educating children to become healthy, productive citizens who can make meaningful contributions to society.