How many different fast-food restaurants have you passed by when you had a child in the back car who was starving at six o’clock in the evening on a work night? Most of us have done this, and as parents, we probably feel ashamed. In this society, childhood obesity is significantly on the increase.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal research, the obesity problem is global: In 2013, over 29% of the worldwide people, or 2.1 billion individuals, were either overweight or obese.
Obesity has also become a major concern for modern parents as more and more children are becoming overweight. It is hard for a child to realize what’s a healthy weight for them. It is the duty of parents to help a child lose weight and control their child’s diet.
If you are also looking for ways to help your child lose weight, this article is just right for you.
Is It Dangerous For My Child To Be Overweight?
True, it is. Obesity can be detrimental to one’s health, particularly in children whose bodies are still developing mentally and physically.” Children that are obese are at risk for:
Elevated blood pressure
Elevated cholesterol
Diabetes
Joint pain
It also has psychological effects on kids. There is a link between obesity and children’s emotional health and self-esteem, says Dr. Lopes, a pediatrician. It is also related to a child’s poor educational achievement and diminished quality of life. If this problem is not appropriately handled, it is likely that children who already struggle with obesity will continue down the same path when they reach adulthood.
It’s A Family Issue, Not A Child Issue
If you were overweight as a child, you understand how upsetting it was. Regardless of how skinny you become as an adult, the emotional wounds from being an obese child remain with you for life. With the greatest of intentions to spare their children from facing such extended pain, many parents interfere with disastrous outcomes.
Parents need to use extreme caution before interfering with their children’s activities lest they make the situation even more difficult. When parents view their child’s obesity as a sign of a wider issue within the family, as opposed to only a failure on the part of the child, they are more likely to identify viable remedies.
After that, they are in a position to put into action a strategy that assists all of the members of the home in being more physically and mentally fit. The whole family has to work on developing the child’s eating habits during family meals so that child can be encouraged.
Obtaining Assistance Without Harming Your Child
How can you evaluate whether the weight of your child has entered the danger zone for their health, given that healthy children come in a variety of forms and sizes? You may determine your child’s BMI by having your doctor estimate it, but irrespective of your child’s size, the recommendation is the same: Focus on healthy eating and physical activity.
If you choose to discuss this with your child’s doctor, do it in private and without your child’s knowledge. Specialists agree that it is unjust to impose weight-related pressure on children. Your only goal should be to get your child to a healthy weight without harming them.
Focusing on a child’s weight poses obvious hazards to their self-esteem, body image, and connection with food and may set them up for a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and dissatisfaction. If there is a weight problem, it is your responsibility to help your child. Helping them develop healthy eating habits is not that difficult if efforts are made by the whole family.
How To Help Your Child To Get To A Healthy Weight
If your child is overweight, you should consult a medical expert. Diets that substantially limit a child’s food consumption are not appropriate for adolescents. You and your families may be urged to make long-term lifestyle and nutritional choices to help your child loos weight.
Regardless of weight, each member of the family should participate in these alterations to avoid any feeling of exclusion. Preventing future food and dieting concerns for your kids is as simple as making the necessary adjustments. Everything depends upon how to develop a family’s eating habits.
Before adolescents are willing to alter their diet or become more fit and healthy, it may require multiple efforts. This can be stressful for parents who want what is best for their children. Do not surrender. Try to remain optimistic. Children who are overweight must understand that they are loved and valued despite their weight.
Be A Positive Role Model
Because children imitate what they see their parents doing, it is important to eat healthily in front of your child and consume the healthy meals you encourage them to consume. Your food-related attitudes, beliefs, and actions are transmitted to your children both explicitly and implicitly.
Regarding food, mindful parenting is required. Make it clear that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are tasty, and avoid emphasizing a desire for sugary or salty snacks. Studies indicate that children eat better meals when their parents are present at mealtime.
In addition, if you want to stop your children from being obese, you need to realize that the experiences you provide them will have an effect on the foods they choose to eat.
Keep It Kid-Friendly
Young children typically do not comprehend that the foods they eat and the number of high calorie foods affect the appearance of their bodies. Assist your children in making the association. Say, “I am aware that you dislike being heavier than your peers. However, you can adjust this by spending less time idle and more time moving.”
Similarly, a 6-year-old cannot comprehend the long-term health risks such as digestive and kidney diseases posed by obesity, such as heart disease and diabetes. Keep it simple: “If you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and spend more time outdoors, you’ll be powerful enough to run the bases without tiring.”
Girls may be more motivated by lifestyle modifications that will enhance their attractiveness. Inform your daughter that her hair would be shinier if she consumed more fruits and veggies. Or, you may add, “If you continue to play soccer, you’ll get in better physical shape, and we’ll likely need to go shopping for new clothes.”
Establish Realistic, Attainable Goals
As adolescents are still developing, designing a weight loss program for them might be challenging. In addition to ensuring that their weight loss strategies are feasible, they must also manage their nutritional intake and allow for growth.
It is also preferable to maintain a child’s weight rather than engage in a weight loss program, as their bodies will become thinner as they grow taller. Losing one pound per week is a more realistic goal for morbidly obese youngsters.
Keep Junk Food From Entering The Home
Keep Junk Food From Entering The Home – ShapeDown
If you wish to assist your child in losing weight, junk food must be removed from the home. If cookies, chips, and other harmful foods are absent from the kitchen, your youngster will be less encouraged to consume them.
If you notice that your child is starting to feel hungry before mealtime, offer him or her a nutritious snack such as small apple peanut butter sandwiches, whole-wheat graham crackers, or strawberry applesauce. These foods will give your children an abundance of nutrients and few calories.
Encourage Daily Workouts
Encourage Daily Workouts – ShapeDown
Daily exercise should be an integral part of your child’s effort to lose weight. If your child engages in physical activity, he or she will burn additional calories, have more stamina, and grow stronger. Motivate your child to engage in daily physical activity, such as walking, swimming, or bicycling. Consider working out with your child as a form of support.
Consider enrolling your child in a sports camp where he or she can play sports in a non – judgmental setting and make new friends.
Domestic Behavioral Modification
It is essential that the youngster understands the significance of table etiquette at home. When children are eating in front of the television, they aren’t paying attention to what they are eating, which leads to an increase in their caloric intake. Refrain from consuming processed fatty foods, cheese, and drinks. Stay away from the second helping.
In order for a child to achieve his ideal weight, it is crucial that the entire family work together to stimulate weight loss. Be as friendly as possible and always offer undivided support.
Make Modest Alterations
Your child may become distressed or confused if you suddenly change the family’s food. Start with weekly adjustments. Mollie Greves Grow, MD, a physician at Seattle Children’s Hospital, recommends discussing your decisions with your child. Explain that certain diets provide more energy for play.
Encourage Children To Be Active
Encourage Children To Be Active – ShapeDown
In addition to being entertaining for kids, engaging in regular physical activity has a wide range of positive effects on one’s health, including the following:
Enhancing bone density
Reduce blood pressure
Reducing anxiety and stress
Enhancing self-respect
Physical activity is essential for youngsters between the ages of three and five. All children aged 6 to 17 should engage in at least 60 minutes of exercise each day, including brisk walking or any task that raises their heart rate.
Exercises such as jogging or leaping, as well as those that build muscle, are also good for bone health. Keep in mind that children resemble adults. Begin incorporating physical activity into your daily routine and motivate your child to do the same.
Conclusion
In most cases, if your child is obese, you’ll want to help them lose weight. However, this may need defying mainstream dietary advice on occasion. When it comes to children who suffer from childhood obesity, what works for adults may not always be the best for them. Losing weight is difficult for children, so what’s the best approach? Work with their pediatrician to ensure that they lose weight in a healthy manner.
Hi, my name is Jim Yi and I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist / Respiratory Care Practitioner.
I have been earning experience within these fields for over a decade, learning all there is to know about cardio-pulmonary medicine and how to care properly for the body. Alongside my studies, I also trained to become a Fitness and Weight Management Expert.
I have created ShapeDown.com to teach anyone who is willing to listen how to take care of their body. This can be through exercise, nutrition, lifestyle changes, or supplements. We’ll look through it all here.
You can strengthen your body, enrich it, improve your energy levels, and boost your immune system by making some simple lifestyle changes. If you want to make a change and start honoring your body instead of weakening it, let’s start right now. I promise you won’t regret it!
