“Grow Taller Without Gaining Weight: Nutritionists Teach How to Eat 4 Key Nutrients”

“Can a child grow taller?” is a question that many parents care about. The factors that affect a child’s height are mainly genetics. However, as long as they take in high-quality nutrients, get enough sleep, and exercise more, they will also help them grow taller. Nutritionist Li Wanping said that if children want to grow taller and not gain weight, the most important thing is to take in protein, enough calories, calcium and vitamin K. If the child likes to eat snacks after class, milk, soy milk, sweet potatoes and other foods are recommended, which can make the child eat healthy and happy.

Now that children are entering puberty earlier and earlier, if you want to grasp the critical period of growth and make your child stand out from others, in addition to assessing the child’s growth and development status, you can also record the child’s height every year by referring to the growth curve chart in the children’s health handbook. In terms of daily diet, protein is the key to growth and development. Sufficient calories are the basic condition for growing taller. Supplementing calcium can improve bone density, and vitamin K is to “stick calcium to bones” to form bone.

4 Key Nutrients

• Protein: soy products, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products
• Calories: Calories mainly come from the three major nutrients in the six categories of food, including carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recommends the ratio of three major nutrients: protein 10-20%, lipid 20-30%, sugar 50-60%
• Calcium: dairy products, small fish, soy products and dark vegetables, etc.
• Vitamin K: dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, etc.

formula for calculating height

• Boy’s height = (father’s height + mother’s height + 11) divided by 2, plus or minus 7.5 cm
• Girl’s height = (father’s height + mother’s height – 11) divided by 2, plus or minus 6 cm

Developmental myth: Can fat children grow taller?

In the past, it was believed that “fat children can grow taller.” Li Wanping explained that this is because children are generally malnourished in their early years, and children who are fleshy do have enough calories to be able to grow taller; but now the proportion of children is overweight Getting taller and taller, being overweight may affect growth and development. On the other hand, thin children may not grow tall due to picky eaters, insufficient food intake, and insufficient starch intake, resulting in insufficient growth nutrients.

70 million overweight or obese infants worldwide by 2025

However, there are many food temptations nowadays, and many children are also “horizontal development” when they grow taller. The World Health Organization (WHO) Committee on Ending Childhood Obesity estimates that the number of overweight or obese infants and young children worldwide will increase to 70 million in 2025. If appropriate intervention measures are not provided, obese infants and young children may become will continue to be obese.

How to eat high-quality after-school snacks

Sufficient calories can grow taller, but too much calories will accumulate fat. Nowadays, children like hand-cranked drinks, fried instant food, and snacks, but they don’t like vegetables very much, which makes parents quite headache. In this regard, Li Wanping recommends Baojiu milk, Baojiu soy milk, steamed and roasted sweet potatoes, edamame, etc., which are rich in calcium and protein, as well as eight-treasure soup and peanut soup, which are good snacks. Parents can put after-school snacks in the parenting class, so that children can eat healthy and happy.

• Long-lasting milk and long-lasting soy milk
• Steamed Sweet Potato and Edamame
• Eight Treasure Soup and Peanut Soup

Three-pronged approach to grow taller without gaining weight

The National Health Service reminds that maintaining a normal healthy posture requires a three-pronged approach of healthy diet, physical activity and adequate sleep:

1. Bring your own water bottle and replace sugary drinks with “plain water” or “sugar-free” drinks.

2. Replace large portions of food in moderation; reduce eating sweets, snacks, fast food, high-fat, high-sugar, etc.

3. Diversity of fresh fruits and vegetables; eat more raw foods; replace refined cereals with whole grains.

4. Eat breakfast every day; encourage parents and children to have a healthy dinner at home; do not watch TV while eating. Mentors accompany students with a nutritious lunch, teaching the importance of healthy eating.

1. The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents should achieve at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day, that is, accumulate more than 420 minutes per week.

2. In line with children’s developmental stages, match with a variety of basic movement types: mobility skills such as walking, running, jumping, climbing, etc. Encourage students to exercise outdoors after class.

3. Exercise more at a suitable temperature and humidity, replenish water before exercise, and drink water regularly during exercise (replenish water every 20 minutes).

4. Reduce the daily screen time (including holidays) to less than 2 hours a day, and avoid static and sedentary life.

Encourage the development of regular living habits, avoid going to bed late and staying up late, and sleep at least 8 hours a day.