By IANS
New York : Include sufficient fat in the diet of your children even if they are obese because kids burn more fat than adults in relation to their calorie intake, says a new study.
Some parents put their overweight children on low fat diets without knowing that their children need more fat and energy for the whole purpose of growing and living, scientists pointed out.
While parents may be increasingly worrying about childhood obesity but they must ensure their offspring eat enough fat, they added.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University studied 10 children and 10 adults who were put on the same diet, adjusted to estimated calorie requirements of each one.
During testing, none of the group led an active lifestyle. They spent their time watching films, reading and taking occasional slow walks, reported the online edition of BBC News.
While the children did not use up more fat than adults in total, they burned up substantially more in relation to the amount of energy they used, despite all participants’ sedentary lifestyle.
Youngsters needed that fat to grow and thrive, the study argued. Over a third of a child’s energy intake should be made up of fat, the researchers said.
Nutritionists in Britain stressed fat should come from “healthy” sources such as oily fish, while chips and crisps should be cooked in olive or sunflower oil.
“Too much saturated fat in the diet like from cakes, biscuits, pastries and fatty meats, should be avoided,” said Claire Williamson of the British Nutrition Foundation.
Young children need more fat and energy for the whole purpose of growing and living – to give them low-fat and sugar-free products is a bad idea, the researchers stressed.