How to Deal With an Overweight Child
Sunday, February 8th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
The percentage of overweight children in America today is higher than ever before. Some of the contributing factors are genetic, but more often than not, overweight kids eat poor diets and do not get enough exercise. As a responsible parent, it is your job to do what you can to ensure that your child develops healthy eating habits so they can live a long and healthy life. Believe it or not, you can make a difference with or without the help of professionals at a fat camp
How can we tell if our child is overweight or just has ‘baby fat’? There is no real answer to this question because ‘baby fat’ is, well, fat. . Baby fat turns into pre-teen fat, which becomes adult fat. Most elementary aged children that have some weight problems still have those weight problems at age 12. Further, overweight teens are much more likely to be overweight as adults than teens that live at a healthy weight.
Certain factors that contribute to weight gain are genetic and beyond our control. However, most factors, such as diet and excercise, can be controlled to an extent. Parents that are concerned about their child’s weight should begin to encourage their children to eat better and exercise more. A great way to initiate this process is to do these things, such as exercising or eating healthy foods, with your kids instead of simply telling them to do it while you sit down to watch with a candy bar and a bag of chips.
Another important step that you can take as a parent to ensure your kid grows in to a healthy body is to make sure they are seen by a doctor on a regular basis. If you have concerns about your child’s weight, you should ask your doctor who will be able to help you before things get out of control. If your doctor becomes very concerned, he/she may suggest a teen weight loss camp for your child.
Once you have discovered that your child has a weight problem, you want to do everything you can to address the problem today, so it is not a problem when he is an adult. Make exercise fun for your child. Spend time at the park or the pool, if your area has one. Most importantly, remember that children will imitate what they see their parents doing. Provide a positive role model for your kids by participating in activities with them and encourage them by giving positive reinforcement.
Next, you’ll want to start working on their diet. Here are a few tips for how to do that:
* Use enthusiasm (even if it’s faked) to get kids excited about foods that are healthier. Provide a variety of healty options and let them choose what to eat.
* Introduce new foods gradually.
* Teach them how to choose healthy foods by reading labels and get them involved in your grocery shopping.
* Opt for healthy snack like carrots instead of junk food.
* Serve realistic portions.
* Eat dinner at the table instead of in front of the TV.
Keep in mind that obesity is much easier to prevent than it is to cure – not mention much healthier for your kids. Do what you can now to ensure your child lives a healthy life. Minimize junk food, encourage activity, and help them learn how to eat well. If you struggle and/or do not feel like you have the knowledge necessary to accomplish this, there are a number of programs out there that can help. You can investigate summer weight loss camps designed for children that are very effective in laying a solid groundwork for building a healthier lifestyle.
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