Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah Discusses Childhood Obesity, Vegan Diets and More (Part-2)
In our exclusive feature on MedBound Times' DocScopy segment, we have Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah, a distinguished Consultant Pediatrician from Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India. He completed his MBBS degree at Tirunelveli Medical College, Tamilnadu, India followed by Diploma in Child Health (DCH) degree at Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, India. He further pursued his DNB (Pediatrics) course at CSI Kalyani Hospital, Chennai, India.
In part -1, we talked about Childhood Nutrition, basic nutritional requirements for children, best first foods to introduce to an infant, and more!
Join us for part -2 of the interview conducted by Dr. Nirainila Joseph from MedBound Times as we explore Dr. Rajaiah's expert perspectives, offering practical guidance for parents on childhood obesity, vegan diet, nutritional supplements, etc.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: On one side, we have nutrient deficiency, and on the other, another significant concern: childhood obesity. Can you shed light on the early signs? With the rise of childhood obesity, what dietary recommendations do you find most effective in promoting healthy weight management in children?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Obesity in children is an important risk factor for obesity in adulthood. It warrants tracking of Body Mass Index (BMI), prevention, and early intervention. Weight for age, weight for height, BMI, skin fold thickness, and waist-hip ratio are evaluated.
Diet is the mainstay of management with a low-calorie, high-nutrient diet.
1. Atkins diet: High protein with low carbohydrate diet consisting of meat, and cheese. Starches, fruits, sugars, and processed foods are avoided.
2. Formula diet: Balanced eating plan, with the formula to eat meals with 40% calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 30% from fats.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: Let's talk about specific situations in which a child's diet tends to change: How should a child’s diet change with the different seasons, when recovering from illness, and during physical activity like sports?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Seasonal changes leads to illness rise with temperature fluctuations like common cold, sore throat, flu, allergy, and stomach aches. During these times, foods to be given are green leafy vegetables, ginger, turmeric, dry fruits, nuts (almonds, pistachio, walnut, peanut), and Vitamin C rich foods (Amla, citrus fruits, potatoes, pulses). In case of respiratory diseases warm fluids should be given and sweets and chocolates should be avoided. asthma – exclusion diet.
For exercise lasting for more than 1 hour, use of energy drinks and sports bar may be helpful. Sport drinks supplying 60-100 kcal/ glass help to supply carbohydrates.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: Given the debate the vegan diet has created in public spaces in recent years, we need to address that. How do you view the growing popularity of plant-based diets for children? Are there any specific considerations parents should be aware of when raising a child on a plant-based diet?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Strict vegans are at high risk for deficiency of vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, zinc, and complete proteins of high biological value. Fruitarians are at additional high risk for protein and sodium deficiencies. Proteins are needed to build and maintain muscle. So they need to eat lentils, beans, peas, nuts, whole grains, and soya products.
Vitamin B12 needed for blood cell formation and healthy nerves. Even with intake of fortified cereals, they may even need supplementation. Zinc is essential for growth and immunity. Zinc is rich in chick peas, corn, soya beans, kidney beans , spinach, apricots , kiwi, raisins, strawberries, and nuts. Iron is rich in spinach, lentils, etc. Cereals are often fortified with iron to help people meet their dietary requirements.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: I hope your insights will assist parents in making informed decisions about their child's dietary choices, ensuring proper nutrition and minimizing the risk of deficiencies. Another hot debate in child nutrition revolves around nutritional supplements and health drinks, widely advertised with claims of improving growth. What are your thoughts on the use of nutritional supplements, health drinks for children?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Height of a child depends on genetic make-up; therefore, it depends on parent’s height. If both parents are short, then child is likely to be short. This is called as familial short stature. In such a situation, growth rate, i.e., height achieved per year would eventually be comparable to a normal child.
If parental height is normal, then growth rate of the child is tracked with the help of standard growth charts. There are various environmental factors that help in growth, one of them is consuming adequate nutrition. Others being good emotional support and fewer incidences/ absence of recurrent or chronic diseases. No protein powder can increase the height beyond the genetic potential of an individual. On the contrary, such commercial protein supplements contain excessive sugar to increase the palatability.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: This offers much-needed clarification for parents regarding health drinks. Now that we have discussed elaborately on different foods, supplements, and nutrient deficiencies, let's explore about cultivating healthy eating habits which is fundamental in child nutrition. How can parents encourage healthy eating habits from a young age?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Parents should be role models to the child. Toddlers observe and learn eating habits. Do not show dislike for food in front of children. Schedule regular meal and snack times. Family meal time is associated with greater consumption of healthy foods.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: How to address picky eating habits in young children and help parents to encourage their children to try new foods?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Picky eaters demonstrate food avoidance and usually eat only a limited number of foods. Parents' attempts to encourage more eating, erratic appetite in toddlers, grazing between meals, excessive beverages all lead to picky eating. Measures to overcome picky eating are encourage independent feeding, family meal, limit meal time duration, systematically introduce new foods.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: Can you explain the connection between a child's diet and their overall health and well-being? How can early nutritional habits impact long-term health outcomes?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Healthy eating is important for toddlers which provides energy and nutrients needed for growth and development. They encourage the development of skills through touch, smell, taste, and vision. Any deficiency in child nutrition will trigger irreversible consequences affecting the individual's health during their lifetime.
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: What resources or referrals do you typically provide to parents seeking more detailed nutritional guidance?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah:
Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) guidelines on fast and junk foods
IAP guidelines for parents - Healthy eating and junk foods
IAP guidelines for complementary feeding
Dr. Nirainila Joseph: Thank you for providing extensive information on this crucial topic, which will help in raising healthy children who can thrive as healthy adults in the future. To conclude, what is the most important piece of advice you would give to parents regarding their children’s nutrition and overall health?
Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah: Adequate nutrition is fundamental to the growth and development of infants and children. A balanced and healthy diet strengthens a child's immune system, maintains body weight, and aids in brain and bone development. Making intelligent food choices is important for nutrition. Ensuring enough vitamins and minerals prevents nutritional deficiencies. Eating fruits and vegetables and limiting junk, sugar-rich foods helps to prevent obesity.
MedBound Times expresses sincere gratitude to Dr. Lakshmikanth Rajaiah for sharing his valuable insights on our platform.
