Four Cs to fight obesity in children, “involving them in a fun way” and in several moments of their daily life: in the open air in their free time, at the table, while they go about their everyday activities. Relaunching the ‘code’ that summarizes and reinvents the cornerstones of healthy lifestyles, on the eve of World Obesity Day, is the pediatrician Italo Farnentani. The expert ‘coined’ the 4C Rule, with the aim of making ‘virtuous’ habits acceptable to the little ones. Four Cs that stand for: “walking-cycling-dog-eating behavior”, lists the full professor of Pediatrics at the Ludes-United Campus of Malta University to time.news Salute.
As explained by Farnetani, “classically we say to young people and to the population in general: use the stairs instead of the lift” to get more movement. “But for the little ones it is more pleasant to do a daily motor activity that is not experienced as stress or obligation, something in which the environment also plays its part”. And so, here’s how to interpret the first C: “Walking in a park can be a fun way” to exercise, observes the expert. Especially since a recent study has also ‘promoted’ brisk walking as protective and able to reduce the risk of premature death (11 minutes a day is enough, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge).
The second C, cycling, is an invitation addressed to the whole family, underlines Farnetani: “Riding a bicycle, parents and children together, in a pleasant way, is a good way to do group physical activity”. In the same vein, the third C which stands for dog: “One could say: an hour with the dog every day keeps obesity away,” says the pediatrician. “Having a dog – he points out – has been shown to prevent heart and vessel diseases, and lower cholesterol, because it is an invitation to walk and move”. Finally, the fourth C, that of eating behavior, which contains a sort of guide for ‘young forks’: if the Mediterranean diet is the beacon, however Farnetani points out, “because it is good against obesity, it cannot be separated from the 3 Cs earlier”. The fixed points of correct eating behavior must be reiterated “especially in a period like this of inflation, in which people tend to save. Also given the cost of food which remains high, unfortunately the risk of purchasing products with less food safety and more rich in fat, i.e. with a higher caloric intake, it is real”, concludes the pediatrician.