Today, it's not just adults who are obese. The number of obese children keeps going up year after year. Childhood obesity is an alarming problem and many parents are understandably worried and wanting to know how they can prevent their kids from becoming obese. If you have a child that seems to be overweight, your first step is to consult with his or her pediatrician. Aside from this, however, there are many steps you can take to encourage healthier habits in your kids. We're going to talk about a few of these things here.
Don't be like many parents and use food as a reward to get your child do something you want. Chocolates and candies are typically used as a reward. If you reward these treats to your child whenever he or she accomplishes something, you're basically teaching your child to associate the treats with accomplishment. You shouldn't use TV or computer time as a reward either because your child will simply become more inactive. Your child will benefit more if you reward him or her with something that's a lot healthier. Get the whole family engaged in fun and healthy family activities, for instance.
If they are overweight, they may not be coordinated or athletic enough for traditional sports. This doesn't mean, however, that there aren't activities that would be appropriate for them. Check out what your child's school has to offer in terms of extra-curricular activities. You may want to check out activities that are given locally as well. Swimming and martial arts are just a few after-school activities your child might enjoy. Make sure you encourage your child if he or she expresses even the slightest interest in something that will get him or her active. When it comes to weight issues, it's best that you follow the pediatrician's recommendations. A doctor will be able to tell whether your child's weight gain is normal or not. After all, it's quite normal for children to gain weight, so if you put your child on a restrictive diet without a doctor's go ahead, you may be unknowingly impeding your child's natural growth. Be aware that the rate at which children go varies, so don't think right away that your child has a weight problem if he or she appears to be gaining a little weight. Talk to a doctor first and get expert advice before putting your child on a diet, as his or her weight gain could just be a natural part of his or her development.
For so many years, it has been believed that milk is healthy and should therefore be part of every person's diet. Today, there are differing opinions with regards to milk and dairy products. Milk and other milk-based products (e.g., ice cream, cheese) aren't healthy for overweight or obese kids.
Eating huge portions is one habit that many adults and children develop. In many cases, this habit starts when parents force their children to finish all the food on their plate. If your child is underweight or doesn't seem to be eating enough, you should encourage your child to eat more. But if your child looks like he or she is overweight, make sure the food on his or her plate is just enough to satisfy hunger. Eating out or ordering fast food often can be a challenge. Your child should be eating smaller portions and you can give your child more food if he or she is still hungry. It's important that you don't give your child a huge amount of food to eat in one go, as that will only cause him or her to develop the habit of overeating.
The least you can do, though, is make sure that your child isn't consuming too much of it, especially the ice creams and cheeses. Hopefully this article has helped you realize that there are quite a few actions you can take to help your child reach his or her ideal weight. You also need to remember that all the weight your child has gained didn't just happen overnight so it's unreasonable of you to expect your child to lose weight overnight. It's going to be a long process wherein you need to be patient and persistent and remain positive and encouraging. Obesity or being overweight is a very challenging situation but that doesn't mean it's an impossible situation to overcome. When the entire family is involved and provides lots of encouragement and support, your child is a lot more likely to reach his or her healthy weight faster.
Don't be like many parents and use food as a reward to get your child do something you want. Chocolates and candies are typically used as a reward. If you reward these treats to your child whenever he or she accomplishes something, you're basically teaching your child to associate the treats with accomplishment. You shouldn't use TV or computer time as a reward either because your child will simply become more inactive. Your child will benefit more if you reward him or her with something that's a lot healthier. Get the whole family engaged in fun and healthy family activities, for instance.
If they are overweight, they may not be coordinated or athletic enough for traditional sports. This doesn't mean, however, that there aren't activities that would be appropriate for them. Check out what your child's school has to offer in terms of extra-curricular activities. You may want to check out activities that are given locally as well. Swimming and martial arts are just a few after-school activities your child might enjoy. Make sure you encourage your child if he or she expresses even the slightest interest in something that will get him or her active. When it comes to weight issues, it's best that you follow the pediatrician's recommendations. A doctor will be able to tell whether your child's weight gain is normal or not. After all, it's quite normal for children to gain weight, so if you put your child on a restrictive diet without a doctor's go ahead, you may be unknowingly impeding your child's natural growth. Be aware that the rate at which children go varies, so don't think right away that your child has a weight problem if he or she appears to be gaining a little weight. Talk to a doctor first and get expert advice before putting your child on a diet, as his or her weight gain could just be a natural part of his or her development.
For so many years, it has been believed that milk is healthy and should therefore be part of every person's diet. Today, there are differing opinions with regards to milk and dairy products. Milk and other milk-based products (e.g., ice cream, cheese) aren't healthy for overweight or obese kids.
Eating huge portions is one habit that many adults and children develop. In many cases, this habit starts when parents force their children to finish all the food on their plate. If your child is underweight or doesn't seem to be eating enough, you should encourage your child to eat more. But if your child looks like he or she is overweight, make sure the food on his or her plate is just enough to satisfy hunger. Eating out or ordering fast food often can be a challenge. Your child should be eating smaller portions and you can give your child more food if he or she is still hungry. It's important that you don't give your child a huge amount of food to eat in one go, as that will only cause him or her to develop the habit of overeating.
The least you can do, though, is make sure that your child isn't consuming too much of it, especially the ice creams and cheeses. Hopefully this article has helped you realize that there are quite a few actions you can take to help your child reach his or her ideal weight. You also need to remember that all the weight your child has gained didn't just happen overnight so it's unreasonable of you to expect your child to lose weight overnight. It's going to be a long process wherein you need to be patient and persistent and remain positive and encouraging. Obesity or being overweight is a very challenging situation but that doesn't mean it's an impossible situation to overcome. When the entire family is involved and provides lots of encouragement and support, your child is a lot more likely to reach his or her healthy weight faster.
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