Lack of a balanced diet can cause many health problems
Parents often tell their kids not to eat too many snacks between meals. A recent survey shows that their advice is sound.
While it is natural to assume that children living in an affluent city like Hong Kong are healthy, a survey conducted by Health Link Promotions showed that almost 60 per cent of them fell ill at least four times a year - a figure doctors deemed to be relatively high.
According to the survey, which interviewed 502 parents with children aged from three to six, the most common illness for their kids was influenza, followed by coughs, fever and belly ache. About 22 per cent said their children had suffered from constipation occasionally.
The reason for this is simple: many children do not have a balanced diet.
About 40 per cent said their children were very picky about food. And more than 30 per cent said their children ate more meat than vegetables or fruits. Above all, many children have the bad habit of snacking.
Children had to have sufficient nutrients, such as vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and cellulose to build up their immunity system, according to Dr Leung Suk-fong. She recommends exercise and eating meals based on the Healthy Eating Pyramid devised by Dr Walter Willett and his colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health.
'The pyramid advises us to eat whole-grain food products such as brown rice and red rice instead of white bread,' Dr Leung said. 'We must also eat a large amount of vegetables and fruits. We should avoid consuming too much milk and meat, but must not be shy on vegetable oils.'
