Parents should act in obesity fight, says expert
9:03am Friday 29th December 2006 in News By Jane Lavender
A LEADING Bolton dietician has urged parents to drastically alter their children's diets to save the town's youth from obesity.
Jill Prime, a senior dietician at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said a departure from un-healthy eating patterns is the best way to achieve weight loss success - not crash diets.
She also praised The Bolton News for highlighting the problem of childhood obesity in the borough.
Mrs Prime said: "I would applaud anything that raises awareness of childhood obesity and would welcome any kind of preventative strategy or treatment.
"Parents can help by avoiding very restrictive diets as they aren't effective in the long-term.
"Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet, as is exercise and making sure young people eat three, balanced meals a day.
"Parents should set a good example and give their children lots of praise and encouragement.
"It's often very successful if the whole family makes the same changes."
Top tips for encouraging weight loss in young people include: l Basing meals on starchy foods, such as bread, potato, rice, chapatis, pasta and breakfast cereals.
l Including fruit and vegetables at every meal and aiming for a total of five portions a day.
l Using low fat dairy products, such as semi-skimmed milk, low fat yoghurts and low fat cheese three times a day.
l Choosing lean meat such as chicken and fish two meals a day.
l Eating at regular mealtimes.
One in four children in Bolton are obese or overweight, according to the latest figures.
The statistics, compiled by the Primary Care Trust, reveal just over 25 per cent of four and five-year-olds, and nearly 30 per cent of 10 and 11-year-olds, desperately need to lose weight.
The Bolton figures were collected as part of a national study.
What do you think? Would you diet to set an example to your children? Vote in the Editor's Choice Column on the right of this page.
