Obesity Child Treatment |
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A child should never be put on a restrictive diet to lose weight.
Doing so can result in delayed growth. Instead, healthier habits
should be stressed to slow a child's weight gain while waiting for
the height to catch up.Managing Obese ChildParents also need to look at family weight history. If other family members, particularly parents, are overweight, the risk for a child becoming overweight may also be greater. Now may be the time to incorporate some lifestyle changes for the benefit of the entire family. In the case of a child who has not yet entered into puberty your best attempt is to focus on healthier habits to slow weight gain until height catches up, rather than trying to make the child lose weight. An overweight child should never be put on a restrictive diet to lose weight. Restrictive eating can lead to lack of important nutrients that are extremely necessary during the growing years. The wiser choice is to reduce portion sizes, decrease excessive snacks, and build a healthier lifestyle. Offering children a wide variety of wholesome grain products, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, Poultry, fish, eggs, and beans is key. (Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for specific food choices, recommended daily servings, and portion sizes.) Snacks should be included, too, throughout the day, but they should be selected from nutrient-dense foods rather than empty-calorie choices. And, to balance food intake, physical fitness must be part of daily activity. All children, regardless of their weight, need love, support, acceptance, and encouragement from their loved ones. Encouraging Healthier Habits in ChildrenAs a parent, your first course of action should be to support, love, and accept your child for who he or she is. Don't get too caught up on body weight. There are so many other factors in life besides the number found on the bathroom scale. Be as supportive as you can be, and stress the importance of health and healthy eating over being thin and trim. Make note of the ways to do so. Keep Active Parents should encourage activity for all children, regardless of their weight. The benefits associated with active lifestyles are numerous at all stages of life. By enjoying active lifestyles during their early years, children will grow up with an appreciation for healthier lives. Encourage team sports and group programs. Get involved with your child. Do things together. Activities like walking, biking, swimming, skating, sledding, boating, and bowling are just some of the many ways to keep yourself active and have fun as well. Stop Feeding Emotions with Food Many of the reasons that adults eat are associated with boredom, loneliness, and stress. Kids often eat for similar reasons. Don't raise your children to follow this pattern. Have you ever seen a parent hand a child a cookie or lollipop to stop crying or offer ice cream to a child who is bored? All of a sudden the child stops crying or feels fulfilled. Did the food solve the problem associated with the crying or boredom or just temporarily cover it up until the next time? Behaviors such as these often lead to a lifelong habit of feeding emotions with food, a habit that many adults find difficult to break. Understand Your Responsibilities as a Parent Parents are responsible for feeding their children from the early years and teaching them good eating habits. Young children are responsible for eating the foods offered to them. Their parents hope that as the children grow, they will take on additional responsibilities for making good food decisions. Parents need to set the stage by being good role models for their children. When good examples are set regarding foods purchased, foods brought into the house, foods served for dinner, snacking, and so forth, children will learn to follow these behaviors. |
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