A senior health practitioner once said something that stuck with Dr. Sheryll Cornejo. “Obesity begins in childhood,” he declared.
It is a reminder that Dr. Cornejo takes to heart, not just as a General Medicine Specialist at Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed), but also as a mother of four (4) young boys. Studies show that childhood obesity increases one’s risk for developing a slew of potentially life-threatening conditions in adulthood—type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, fatty liver disease, and certain cancers. Moreover, experts observe that 80% of obese adolescents are likely to be obese in adulthood.
The best time to begin your young son or daughter’s journey to a fit and healthy life? Start on the first day or week of the new year, as a majority of grownups are wont to do. “The new year feels like a fresh start,” says Dr. Cornejo. “It is a perfect time to think about what we can improve on, and how to make ourselves better, especially when it comes to our health goals.”
Why not take it a step further and jump-start your own program to healthy living? It is been proven that when kids see Mom and Dad relishing the experience of working out and eating right, they are sure to
follow suit.
Here are three (3) New Year’s resolutions to commit to for your children’s health
Promote physical activity
“Since my kids are boys, all I need is for one boy to run around, and the rest will follow,” Dr. Cornejo says with a laugh.
Still, there are many ways to get children—even an only child—to move. All it takes is an adult to initiate. “Sometimes with our kids we say, ‘Gadgets off, let’s go!’ and bring them to the park or
playground,” she says. Malls have play areas designed to let hyperactive youngsters jump, climb, and run around in a safe, controlled space. At home, you can dance or exercise together to a workout video on YouTube. If your son or daughter is parked in front of a computer doing homework, make them take hourly breaks and have them stand up, stretch, do jumping jacks, or walk around the house.
Make fruits and vegetables part of their daily meals
While Dr. Cornejo allows her boys the occasional indulgence “so that they do not crave for it when they are older,” she has successfully incorporated fruits and veggies into their diets. Her boys like broccoli (“they call it a flower”) and have no problem consuming kangkong and malunggay in hearty soup dishes like sinigang and tinola. “You can also turn vegetables into sauces and serve them with pasta or over meat dishes.”
As for fresh fruits, she treats them as dessert. “They like pomelo, so after meals, I peel some and feed it to them myself,” she says. “Or I will slice an apple, and distribute it to the older ones. When the younger ones see it, they will want a slice for themselves.”
Favor good fats
To this day, the word “fat” cannot shake off its negative connotation. To be described as “fat” is embarrassing, and to eat “fat” is akin to being unhealthy.
But fat is essential too. For a growing child, fat supports brain development and is used as energy needed for growth and play. It helps absorb important vitamins for the body to function well, protects our internal organs, and regulates body temperature.
Dr. Cornejo emphasizes focusing on good fat. There are unsaturated fats found in salmon, tuna, avocadoes, nuts, and seeds. There’s also a chockfull of Omega-3s and Omega-6s in the aforementioned salmon, tuna, and nuts, as well as in soybeans, seaweed, and eggs, milk, and juices fortified with these essential fatty acids.
While all parents’ wish is for their son or daughter to be healthy and fit, having them achieve a lean, athletic physique isn’t necessarily the goal.
“What is important is what is inside and what we take in,” says the MakatiMed doctor. “There are a lot of healthy kids, and even adults, who have big bone structure, so they look big but they are actually healthy.”
“As parents, it is important that we assure them that whatever their physical appearance is, we will love them for who they are,” she adds. “What is important is that they study well and always do their best.”
Article based on the Healthline with MakatiMed Hosted by Nicole Jacinto guesting of Sheryll M. Cornejo, MD last December 2024.
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