Amidst all the ghouls and ghosts, NHS Tayside has said the really scary thing about Hallowe’en is the horror of overindulgence.
The health board’s Paediatric Overweight Service for Tayside (POST) has issued a warning to parents and guardians telling them not to let their children eat too many of the sweets they receive while guising.
Dr Laura Stewart, POST team lead, said: “We want everyone to have a good time at Hallowe’en but to think about using health snacks such as apples or satsumas for trick or treats instead of the usual sweets, which can easily turn into unwanted extra weight for children.”
Dr Stewart and her team have issued advice for parents for before and after their children go guising.
Before:Make sure kids eat a balanced meal before leaving the house so they will be less tempted to gorge on sweets while out. Restrict the amount of sweets they will collect by limiting the number of houses they visit or the time they spend guising.After:Work out a plan with your children to help them enjoy their sweets in a healthy way. Encourage children to consider their choice of sweets. Suggest they choose bite-sized versions rather than large sweets. Ration out sweets over several days or weeks. Substitute them for dessert of make sure children have them along with a healthy snack. Children learn by example to parents should eat sweets in moderation.Anyone worried about their child’s weight should contact POST on post.tayside@nhs.net or 01738 473784.
See more in this story in Saturday’s Courier.