Weight loss for kids. May 21st, 2008

We are always reminded that many children, especially in the U.S are overweight or obese and parents are always being told to put their kids on a diet or risk developing serious health problems in the future.

This article will detail the best way to get a child can lose weight and keep it off with a list of diet dos and don’ts.

Being overweight or obese will put you at increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cause emotional problems in adolescence and adulthood.

A child’s body fatness changes over time as they grow, and boys and girls differ greatly in the amount of fatness considered to be the norm. Overweight is defined as having a weight that is greater than 94% of children of similar age and sex.

Kids who are obese remain heavy through adolescence will usualy stay that way when they have reached adulthood resulting in illnesses such as diabetes,high blood pressure, heart disease, and several cancers which now claim an estimated 500.000 lives per year, costing over a $100 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity.

Be a good role model.
The main thing that parents can do is to be a good role model for their children. Parents can set their kids up for failure unwittingly.she says. When your kids look for snacks, how can they succeed if their are only candy or potao chips. I would suggests fill your refrigerator and with fresh fruits, nuts, low-fat cheese. This is such a simple solution.

Be positive.
Try not to use the words “lose weight.”Try using words such as “Let’s be healthy and start taking care of our bodies. “Be positive and focus on the good foods you can eat and not the ones that you cannot. Another way to approach getting your kids to excersise is to say ‘Lets go to the park or lets have some fun.”

Make healthy eating a family affair.
Make plans and food preparation appropriate for the all the family so you don’t single out the overweight child, which is like saying, ‘Your overweight, so you can’t have this serving. Let your kids help you prepare the meal. Your child will have to live on his/her own someday and should know how to cook so they don’t rely on fast foods. Make cooking fun and interesting. Start the day off with a good breakfast such as a bowl of low sugar cereal/yogurt with low fat milk.

Pack a nutritious lunch for schoolchildren.
Schoolchildren will consume more unhealthy meals than children who have access to healthier options. One of the main sources of fat and sugar in a child’s diet becomes school lunches. Try and “make packed lunches fun and give a bottle of water or pure fruit juice and not soda. Add a piece of fresh fruit and Encourage your child to have whole grain breads to eliminate a white flour and white sugar rut.

-Article copied from http://medicaladvisor.blogspot.com

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