Tips to Help Kids Maintain a Healthy Weight

Tips to Help Kids Maintain a Healthy Weight

You've probably read about it in newspapers and seen it on the news: in the United States, the number of obese children and teens has continued to rise over the past two decades.¹ You may wonder: Why are doctors and scientists troubled by this trend? And as parents or other concerned adults, you may also ask: What steps can we take to help prevent obesity in our children?  

Why is childhood obesity considered a health problem?

Doctors and scientists are concerned about the rise of obesity in children and youth because obesity may lead to the following health problems:

·       Heart disease, caused by:

o   high cholesterol and/or

o   high blood pressure

·       Type 2 diabetes

·       Asthma

·       Sleep apnea

·       Social discrimination 

Childhood obesity is associated with various health-related consequences. Obese children and adolescents may experience immediate health consequences and may be at risk for weight-related health problems in adulthood.

Psychosocial Risks

Some consequences of childhood and adolescent overweight are psychosocial. Obese children and adolescents are targets of early and systematic social discrimination.² The psychological stress of social stigmatization can cause low self-esteem which, in turn, can hinder academic and social functioning, and persist into adulthood.³

Cardiovascular Disease Risks

Obese children and teens have been found to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and abnormal glucose tolerance. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, almost 60% of overweight children had at least one CVD risk factor while 25 percent of overweight children had two or more CVD risk factors.² 

What can I do as a parent or guardian to help prevent childhood overweight and obesity?

To help your child maintain a healthy weight, balance the calories your child consumes from foods and beverages with the calories your child uses through physical activity and normal growth.

Remember that the goal for overweight and obese children and teens is to reduce the rate of weight gain while allowing normal growth and development. Children and teens should NOT be placed on a weight reduction diet without the consultation of a health care provider. 

Balancing Calories: Help Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits

One part of balancing calories is to eat foods that provide adequate nutrition and an appropriate number of calories. You can help children learn to be aware of what they eat by developing healthy eating habits, looking for ways to make favorite dishes healthier, and reducing calorie-rich temptations.

Encourage healthy eating habits.
There's no great secret to healthy eating. To help your children and family develop healthy eating habits:

·       Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.

·       Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.

·       Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.

·       Serve reasonably-sized portions.

·       Encourage your family to drink lots of water.

·       Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.

·       Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

Remember that small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success! 

Remove calorie-rich temptations!
Although everything can be enjoyed in moderation, reducing the calorie-rich temptations of high-fat and high-sugar, or salty snacks can also help your children develop healthy eating habits. Instead only allow your children to eat them sometimes, so that they truly will be treats! Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and low-sugar treats that are 100 calories or less:

·       A medium-size apple

·       A medium-size banana

·       1 cup blueberries

·       1 cup grapes

·       1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tbsp. hummus 

Help kids stay active.
Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily.¹¹ Remember that children imitate adults. Start adding physical activity to your own daily routine and encourage your child to join you.

Reduce sedentary time.
In addition to encouraging physical activity, help children avoid too much sedentary time. Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time your children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television viewing for children age 2 or younger.¹² Instead, encourage your children to find fun activities to do with family members or on their own that simply involve more activity.  

 

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention