Diana Roig She is a Senior Agricultural Engineer, specialized in food industries, from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, she also has a diploma in Dietetics and Nutrition from the University of Barcelona. He has developed part of his professional career in the management of food sector associations and currently holds the position of Health & Nutrition Manager in Unilever Spain. In the interview we will be able to know more about what happens with nutrition in children, how we can achieve a healthy and balanced diet in their diets and know many tips and recommendations based on Diana's experience in a large food company such as Unilever with brands we consume daily.
What is a healthy and balanced diet and why is it necessary for children to put it into practice?
A healthy and balanced diet is a varied diet that includes all kinds of food in due course: predominance of cereals and derivatives (bread, pasta, rice ...), fruits and vegetables, dairy products, legumes, fish, eggs and meat. To get an idea of the rations that we must take each day of each of the food groups, we can look at the food pyramid. In it we can see the daily amounts / portions that we must take each day of each of them. It is essential that children eat in a healthy and balanced way, not only to grow healthy and strong, but also to help them acquire healthy eating habits. Childhood is a crucial stage for this learning.
What foods are the enemies to avoid when feeding the kids: excess fat, refined flours, lots of sugars and additives, etc.?
In nutrition there is a very sensible saying that "there is no good or bad food, but good and bad diets." This means that we should not categorically eliminate any food, but there will be some (those that are at the top of the food pyramid) that we should offer them only occasionally. For example, a child may occasionally take some treats after school, but we should not make it a daily habit. In addition, if you have already taken candy, we must ensure that you do not eat many foods rich in sugars.
What is the percentage of the energy consumption of the day provided by breakfast, lunch and dinner?
It is recommended that breakfast provide 25% of a child's daily energy intake, lunch 30-35%, snack 15%, and dinner 25-30%. Although, in general, we tend to fall into the error of giving them too much dinner and not giving so much importance to breakfast.
How much energy does a child consume according to age and for normal physical activity?
It is estimated that, on average, a child consumes about 1,800 kcal per day. However, a 5-year-old does not consume the same energy as a 12-year-old, and needs also vary by gender. In this way, a 5-year-old girl can process about 1,700 kcal daily, while a 12-year-old boy can reach 2,750 kcal daily.
The best indicator of energy consumption is the child's weight: if the weight is correct for his age and is maintained, it means that he is ingesting the energy he needs
The best indicator in these cases will be the child's weight: if his weight is correct for his age and remains in the same, it means that he is ingesting the energy he needs.
How can we complement breakfast with healthy eating for the rest of the day?
The most appropriate is to follow the guidelines established by the food pyramid. As an example, some basic guidelines could be the following:
Apart from breakfast at home (which is essential), the child must make another 4 meals: mid-morning lunch, lunch, snack and dinner.
Breakfast is divided into two parts (at home and mid-morning). This should consist of a ration of cereals or derivatives (bread, cookies), a piece of fruit and a dairy. In the bread we will preferably use olive oil or margarine.
With dinner we will complement what the child has taken at lunch: if he has eaten pasta, salad and meat, at night we will give him cooked vegetables (in the form of cream for example) with egg or fish.
It is very important to instill in them the habit of consuming three servings of fruit per day (ensuring that one of them is a citrus) and two of vegetables (ideally one cooked and one raw).
Finally, it is essential to involve them in the kitchen, teaching them not only to manipulate food, but to know them thoroughly (their textures, colors, etc.)
What do parents have to do to encourage kids to eat healthy? And in the case of the kids who eat at school?
The number one rule is to lead by example. That is, to witness that at home you eat varied and in due course. They should eat the same as us and, if they don't like something, we should continue to offer it naturally and without forcing them.
In addition, it is also very important to make at least one meal a day with the family, without television or other distraction factors. In the event that children eat at school, it is very important to have the daily menu. If this is not balanced, it will be necessary to contact the school or the AMPA to correct the menu, since the schools currently have tools to offer varied and balanced menus.
It is very important to make at least one meal a day with the family, without television or other distraction factors
What is the commitment of brands to promote healthy eating among customers?
The commitment is very high, since in today's society companies could not subsist if we did not offer products that facilitate eating in a healthy and balanced way.
In our case, through Unilever plan for one Sustainable life, we have set very ambitious goals: reduce the environmental impact and increase the positive social impact.
We have improved the nutritional profile of our products while offering guidelines to follow a healthy lifestyle and live better, since we cannot ignore different pathologies that are latent in developed countries such as obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
What activities does Knorr / Unilever do to spread healthy habits among Spanish children? Is there any specific activity with the schools? And with the parents?
Within the aforementioned Sustainability Plan we contemplate many actions, such as teaching children the importance of breakfast, or the importance not only of eating but also of cooking as a family. All brands have a social purpose, and in the case of the Dove brand, for example, there have been many workshops aimed at children and parents to promote self-esteem.
In Knorr We carry out very interesting activities for children and parents, which consist in knowing the importance of eating vegetables, games with the pyramid of healthy eating, the origin of the ingredients, the cultivation of plants, etc.
In Knorr we carry out informative and participatory activities for children and parents promoting healthy eating
In this sense, for example, we have asked today's mothers how they deal with planning the family's diet in a balanced way. One of the things they tell us is that sometimes - although they know that vegetables are essential in children's nutrition - getting them to eat a plate of vegetables is complicated and they end up giving in and opting for less healthy but more attractive dishes for them .
For this reason Knorr, through its range of tasty vegetable creams, reinforces its commitment to families to help them introduce the vegetable into the diet of the little ones. In addition, through our Chefs, we provide ideas on how to give a personal touch to creams to make them even more attractive and delicious.
Do you have mobile applications or Internet pages for more information?
On the Unilever website there is very extensive information about our products and activities. Information can also be found on the Knorr website, especially related to our sustainable agriculture program and healthy recipes.
As for the products themselves, the best information can always be found in the labeling of the product itself where the list of ingredients, nutritional values ... so that the consumer knows what each of them contains.
And here the interview with Diana Roig from Knorr. We thank Diana for her collaboration with Peques and Más explaining us and offering nutritional recommendations for children and the generation of good eating habits. I also thank Unilever for the facilities to publish the interview and I congratulate you for encouraging you to spread healthy advice and recommendations for the family as well as worrying about our daily diet.
