Good and bad fats for kids

A balanced diet is very important to the development of children. And while some parents may squirm at the thought of including fats in the diet, paediatrician at Gateway Plaza, Old Harbour, Dr Anona Griffith, says that fats are essential when administered in their correct proportions. “Although fats are often considered as being bad, they are important nutrients. A healthy diet must consist of all food groups, namely carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables and fats,” Dr Griffith stressed.She pointed out that fats are more efficient energy carriers than carbohydrates, and play a fundamental role in other body functions.“Fats are essential for healthy cellular functions, brain and nerve cell function, growth and development. They are essential to the absorption of vitamins such as A, D, E and K,” Dr Griffith explained.But even while fats can be very beneficial, Dr Griffith warned that it is important to choose the source of fats carefully in order to differentiate between good and bad cholesterol.“Cholesterol is a form of fat processed by the liver using fats from the diet. It is packaged with proteins in two main ways and carried via blood. These packages are termed high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL),” Dr Griffith shared.“HDL is known to be protective by mopping up excess cholesterol whilst LDL when excessive can become deposited in the arteries flowing to the brain and heart, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. These conditions lead to chronic long-term debilitating conditions later on in life,” she underscored.Good or bad cholesterol is determined by the source of fat we give to our children. Fats, according to Dr Griffith, are divided into two groups – saturated and unsaturated.Saturated fats come mainly from animal sources and a few plant sources, while unsaturated fats are generally thought of as the superman of fats.“Unsaturated fats are further divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are derived mainly from plant sources — for example, nuts and seeds, as well as oily fish such as mackerel and salmon. This group contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids which are important fatty acids not made by the body. They are considered the ideal group of dietary fats as they increase the good cholesterol (HDL),” Dr Griffith advised.Trans fat is similar to saturated fats in its effects on raising “bad” cholesterol (LDL). Dr Griffith underscored that despite its natural occurrence in small amounts, the majority of trans fat is produced by modifying natural vegetable oils to produce a product that has revolutionised the commercial food landscape by extending the shelf life of processed foods.“Children are often exposed to a lot of packaged, processed and fast foods, which increase the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol concentration in the blood. It is therefore recommended that light snacks should be made from natural food sources to limit the number of bad fats that we give to our children,” Dr Griffith advised.She cautioned parents against putting children on no-fat or extremely low-fat diets, encouraging greater monitoring of food sources instead. She noted that moderation must be emphasised with the utilisation of nutritional guidelines based on the child’s daily requirements.