Small changes, big impact: Bihać school encourages children to adopt a healthy lifestyle

(Patria) - More and more children and young people are developing unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. In Bihać, at the "Gornje Prekounje – Ripač" Elementary School, students and parents are showing how small changes, like preparing homemade food together, can help create healthier habits.

Obesity is today considered one of the greatest health challenges of the modern era. It is increasingly affecting children as well. Excess weight and unhealthy diet can have long-term effects on health, growth and development, as well as on children's psychological state. Experts emphasize that prevention is key, through mindful eating, physical activity and education from an early age.

Dr. Šeherzada Ezić Majstorović, a pediatric specialist and subspecialist in pediatric endocrinology and diabetology at the Bihać Clinical Hospital, told BHRT: "There is an increasing number of children and young people presenting with this problem. Obesity itself is a diagnosis with its own code, and with all its requirements and therapy. Moreover, it carries an increased risk of other related diagnoses. Besides obesity itself, such children are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, and they often already have dyslipidemia, which carries a risk of various cardiovascular incidents."

The pediatrician emphasizes that mindful eating and involving children in a healthy lifestyle are important from an early age. As an example of good practice, at the initiative of teacher Esmeralda Iftić, students of the "Gornje Prekounje – Ripač" Elementary School bring homemade and healthy food on Fridays, which they prepare together with their parents.

The goal is to promote a healthy diet, reduce the consumption of fast food, and involve children in responsible and creative learning about nutrition.

Mirza Sagrović, principal of the Gornje Prekounje – Ripač Elementary School, said about this: "Simply, to try to make more effort towards healthy eating. Today, obesity is a huge problem worldwide, along with sweets, chips, snacks, all unhealthy food... They used to order fast food, delivery vehicles came daily. One teacher came up with the idea that once a week children bring healthy food from home, meaning food that their mothers, grandmothers prepare on Fridays."

Students say this activity helps them get used to healthier eating, and it is also an opportunity to enjoy spending time with school friends and parents who help them prepare meals.

"Our goal is to get as used as possible to healthy and homemade food, instead of fast food," said Neira Čelebić, a student of the mentioned school, and her schoolmate Hana Murgić added: "We want to show how it is more important to eat healthier food, and not just fast food. That is very bad for us because we are still developing children."

Student Vedad Kurtović says he likes this activity because they eat healthy food.

Incidentally, every Friday different classes prepare meals which they sell at a symbolic price, and the collected money, they say, is used for going to the cinema, saving for an excursion, or additional classroom decoration. In this way, students learn about healthy choices, togetherness and responsibility.