With the improvement of living standards, there are more and more "chubby kids", and one of the important reasons for childhood hypertension is obesity, apart from some genetic and secondary factors. Although childhood hypertension is not common, it is characterized by hiddenness and a long latent period. If not discovered in time, it will be troubled by hypertension and various diseases caused by hypertension in adulthood. Therefore, parents should pay more attention to children's diet and food choices.
1. Dietary Principles
(1) Control calorie intake appropriately, reduce fat and cholesterol intake, and control weight.
(2) Adopt a diet high in vitamins, moderate in protein, low in sodium, low in fat, and low in cholesterol.
(3) Ensure adequate high-quality protein. Eat fish and chicken protein 2-3 times a week. It can improve vascular elasticity and permeability, and increase excretion of urinary sodium, thus reducing blood pressure. In addition, skim milk, yogurt, and sea fish also have a certain effect on lowering blood pressure.
(4) Increase intake of calcium and magnesium. The daily intake of calcium should be 800-1500 milligrams. Magnesium should be supplemented when using diuretics. The daily intake should reach 8 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. In addition, zinc should also be supplemented, with an oral dose of 50-200 milligrams per day.
(5) Eat more potassium-rich foods. The intake of potassium should be maintained at a ratio of 1.5:1 with sodium. Foods high in potassium include dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, grains, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
(6) Limit sodium intake and adopt a low-salt diet. The daily intake of salt should be limited to 1-2.5 grams (around 1000 milligrams of sodium intake).
2. Food Choices
1. Recommended foods:
Celery, tomatoes, carrots, water chestnuts, cucumbers, asparagus, kelp, black fungus, bananas, mung beans, mushrooms, onions, kelp, seaweed, sea fish, hawthorn, eggs, lean meat, soy and its products, dairy products and their products.
2. Avoid foods:
Western fast food such as hamburgers, french fries, fried chicken legs; snacks such as potato chips, puffed food, etc.
3. Dietary Precautions
1. Pay attention to the choice of dairy products and snacks
Children like to eat dairy products and snacks, but they are also the cause of childhood hypertension. Therefore, for children with hypertension, the choice of dairy products and snacks should also be considered. Experts point out that popular snacks among children often contain a large amount of additives. Eating a small amount occasionally is not harmful to health, but long-term and excessive consumption can threaten health, especially for children with hypertension, continuing to eat a large amount of snacks can easily worsen the condition.
For example, common snacks in daily life such as instant noodles, jelly, milk drinks, preserved fruits, ham sausages, potato chips, etc., these snacks are either nutritionally single or lack nutrition. For children in the stage of growth and development, it is easy to cause obesity, which will aggravate hypertension.
2. Control fruit intake
Many children like to eat fruits, which is fine, but for children with hypertension, extra attention should be paid when eating fruits. Experts point out that for children with hypertension, it is okay to eat some fruits in moderation, but excessive intake should be avoided because although fruits contain a large amount of vitamins, excessive consumption can lead to excessive sugar intake, which can worsen hypertension. Especially high-sugar fruits like bananas, watermelons, grapes, lychees, etc., should be consumed less by children with hypertension.
Due to the special nature of children, it is difficult for them to self-regulate, which requires parents of children with hypertension to help them with a proper diet. Parents should not allow their children to eat and drink as they please due to indulgence. It should be known that many things can aggravate hypertension, which can cause great harm to the health of children with hypertension.
