3 Tips to encourage kids to drink water
18.2% of South African children between the ages of 2 – 5 years old are either overweight or obese. Here’s how water can help prevent your child from becoming obese or overweight. Overweight or obese children have an increased risk of developing heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers earlier in life, and they are more likely to remain obese throughout their adult life.
Obesity doesn’t only negatively impact a child’s health, it can also have vast social and economic implications like bullying, teasing and low self-esteem.
There is a very simple solution to help prevent obesity in children. Research studies have indicated that children who are encouraged to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, like soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks can avoid becoming overweight.
Try these tips to encourage your kids to drink water:
1. Make it a family affair
Water should be the main drink available in your household. Limit fruit juices and other drinks containing added sugar. Tell your children about the health benefits of water, and lead by example.
2. Make water easily available
Have bottled water on hand for when your child feels thirsty, and make sure there’s always a jug of cold water in the fridge, or a bottle of water next to you in the car when you go out.
3. Make water exciting
Kids love ice. Whether it’s the coolness or the clinking sound it makes, it doesn’t matter. It’s exciting, so add some ice and see if that does the trick. You can also add slices of cucumber, strawberries or lemons to the water to give it a little bit of flavour.
This article originally appeared on Living & Loving
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