In Spain, 39% of girls and 38% of boys aged between seven and nine are overweight or obese. Together with Greece and Italy, Spain has the worst rates in Europe, according to data from WHO Europe, with 33 countries, and the European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI).
The nutritional field is a first battlefront: in the last two decades, fresh and healthy foods characteristic of the Mediterranean diet have been displaced by less healthy options. According to a study carried out by researchers from the University of Granada with Spanish children between nine and twelve years old, published in 2023 in the journal Nutrients, our children consume more than twice as much added sugar on a daily basis as recommended by the WHO. The main sources of daily sugar intake include biscuits (13.3%), cocoa powder (11.1%), sweetened yoghurts (9.9%) and dairy desserts (8.6%). At the bottom of this ranking are other products for more occasional consumption such as juices, chocolate or soft drinks, which occupy the last position.
Although the data confirm that daily routine is what makes the difference, it is important not to neglect habits in the summer. For this reason, from the Fundación España Salud (FES), nutrition and diet experts provide some keys to take care of the diet of the little ones during the summer:
- Don’t skip any meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner are essential and equally important moments. At each of them we can practice proper nutritional education, giving priority to seasonal products. Variety and diversity are the key.
- Eating as a family: It is important to instil good eating habits from an early age and holidays can be an excellent time to put them into practice with the little ones. In addition to sitting down together at the table and taking advantage of the opportunity to try new dishes, we can cook with the children, familiarizing them with food. Of course, we must avoid screens; eating in front of the television or with a mobile phone at the table does not facilitate a context for improving nutrition.
- Planning meals: If children attend day camps, it is important to consider the meal menu offered to them at these locations so that dinners at home can be planned appropriately, adjusting them in quality and quantity. This ensures that children receive a balanced and nutritious diet throughout the day, complementing what they have eaten for breakfast and lunch, and ensuring that they meet their daily nutritional needs.
- Taking care of your eating habits without forgetting that summer is a time to enjoy: summer is a time for enjoyment and vacations, so it is also good to make certain routines more flexible. But we must teach children to differentiate between special occasions and routine, and to distinguish which products should be part of their daily diet and which can be included in other more occasional moments of leisure, celebration, etc. This lesson also contributes to our children having a healthier relationship with food and, therefore, developing healthy habits that they maintain for life.
Source: Spain Health Foundation
