Can the Right Amount of Protein Prevent Obesity?

As a parent, you want nothing more than for your kids to grow up strong and healthy. Pediatricians today highlight the importance of avoiding the risk of obesity in children. To prevent child obesity, they recommend you provide a well-balanced diet, avoid giving sugar-sweetened beverages, and encourage physical activities. But would it surprise you to know that obesity may not just be due to overeating and lack of exercise?

Research has shown that the risk for obesity can actually be traced back to a child’s early years. Parents who provide their kids with excess protein are putting their children at risk for obesity in later life.

But isn’t protein a good thing? It is, but like anything else – too much of a good thing can be bad for you. In fact, lowering the protein content in a young child’s diet has the possibility of helping prevent child obesity by reducing the bad effects of too rapid weight gain.

Lowering overall protein intake has been linked to healthy growth and help prevent child obesity. You can do this by providing higher quality protein that delivers the essential amino acids in just the right amount.

So go ahead, encourage your kids to eat a balanced diet, avoid those sweetened beverages, and engage in physical activities. But more importantly, make sure you provide quality protein in just the right amount so that they can develop their potential without obesity getting in the way.

NANKID OPTIPRO^® HA^® 3 contains OPTIPRO^®, Nestlé’s Most Advanced Protein. It’s regular milk protein broken into smaller pieces, making it easier to digest. It also contains DHA & ARA, which are found abundantly in the brain, as well as 100 million BIFIDUS BL probiotics from 3 glasses of NANKID OPTIPRO^® HA^® 3 daily. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can help support your child’s protection.

References:
1. Koletzko, B. et al. Lower protein in infant formula is associated with lower weight up to 2y: a randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009; 89: 1863-45
2. European Food Safety Authority Scientific Opinion on the essential composition of infant and follow on formula July 2014