How can you help your overweight child?
Here’s some general advice on what parents can do to establish a healthier lifestyle:
- Show your child you care. Kids who are not tended to by adults have higher rates of obesity.
- Don’t use food as a comfort measure. Teach your child to self-soothe.
- Don’t closely monitor the amount of food your child eats or nag your child during mealtime. This can interfere with your child’s response to hunger and feeling full. These two responses are an important basis for healthy eating behaviors.
- Watch your own weight. If one parent is obese, it doubles a child’s risk for adult obesity.
- Don’t focus on the weight. Instead, focus on overall healthy eating habits and physical activity.
- Limit screen time. There is a direct relationship between the amount of time spent watching TV being overweight.
- If your child shows signs of becoming overweight or has risk factors, talk to your pedritrician. He can reccomend a diet and exercise program for your child.
Obesity is definitely an issue to be concerned about due to its potential for causing long-term medical issues. The positive side is that the fight is definitely not a lost cause, especially for children. Good eating coupled with physical activity will make a huge difference in a child’s life both short-term and long-term.
