Helping Kids Lose Weight

More children than ever are obese in the U.S. Nationwide, 17% of children between the ages 2 and 9 fall under this classification. This is a staggering statistic, but it is today’s reality. There are a number of ways that parents can help their children lose weight or prevent weight gain in the first place. It is essential that parents focus upon teaching their children how to put their health first without causing them to become preoccupied with their body image. It’s important to address weight issues at a young age because health issues can develop early, body image can affect learning and emotional development, and bad habits formed can last a lifetime.

Teach Weight Loss By Example

To lose weight, children don’t need to focus on a “diet.” They need to learn healthy, realistic eating habits that provide them with adequate nutrition and help them to maintain a healthy weight. As a parent, you may not think that your children pay close attention to your actions, but statistics show otherwise. According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, children who watch their parents make unhealthy food choices are likely to do so themselves. A large percentage of children (40%) who watch their parents drink soda and eat fast food on a daily basis will make the same choices even when out on their own. By serving healthy meals at home, children learn to expect and appreciate nutritious food. When they establish these eating habits young, they carry them through to adulthood.

It’s not just nutrition that can assist with weight loss in children, exercise plays a role as well. Parents can choose physically active things to do with their children on weekends, for example. Instead of going to a movie on a Saturday afternoon, take a hike and get the whole family moving! Kids will learn to appreciate the joy of these activities, and these are great habits they can learn through adulthood.

Focus on Children’s Health, Not Image

One in three children are overweight or obese in the United States, and while parents need to help them address this, it’s also important that they don’t impact their children’s self-esteem. Even children of a healthy weight can feel as though they’re fat, and they can feel they get enough pressure from their peers to maintain a certain body type or weight. However, a parent who feels their child is overweight should plan a visit to the doctor, who will assess body mass index and determine if there are other health issues present. It’s important to ensure that children are healthy first, and since obesity can lead to serious problems, it cannot be ignored. Parents just need to ensure that as they help their children through the weight loss process they remain positive and focus on health to avoid the development of body image issues.