Obesity among children and adolescents is a severe issue with many medical and social effects that could almost certainly persist into adulthood.
It is your responsibility as a parent to create the necessary lifestyle, diet and support structures for your child to avoid childhood obesity. An overweight child could develop complications such as asthma, stunted development, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes (Type 2), liver diseases, orthopedic troubles, some kinds of cancer and sleep apnea, which may also lead to other problems such as difficulty in understanding and memory. All these conditions could prove fatal if serious changes are not made.
Prevention
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- Set a good example. If you are trying to help your child lose weight, your best bet may be to lose weight yourself. Children are quick to harp on injustice, so encourage the whole family to make dietary and exercise changes. At the end of the day, you will all benefit.
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- Any food eaten in excess can lead to obesity, so serve healthier, smaller portions of different kinds of food. Drink plenty of water and limit foods such as cake, ice cream, chocolate, jam, sugar and sweets. Be creative with fruit and vegetables – mince mixed with beans, carrots, peas or broccoli tastes great.
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- Give your children low fat snacks, such as fruit, raw vegetable sticks, crackers and wholegrain cereals to help them remain satisfied between meals.
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- Have your children eat at a special table so that they can focus on their meal. If children watch TV while eating, they could become distracted and unaware that they have had enough to eat. Enjoy dinner with the whole family as regularly as possible. Use this time to take pleasure in your meal and discuss your child’s activities that day.
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- If your child attends a nursery school or crèche, be aware of what food is served; pack a nutritious lunch for your child if your child goes to school.
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- Keep your children mentally stimulated. Talk to them, play with them and read to them. Take them to play groups, museums, art galleries and the theatre. Stimulate all their senses. Boredom can cause children to overeat.
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- Encourage your children to participate in sport and enjoy physical activities such as hiking, cycling and swimming, as a family.
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- Limit television and gaming time. One hour a day is more than enough TV or gaming time.
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- Unless your doctor recommends it, do not put your child on a restrictive diet. Young children have distinct nutritional wants, so limiting what your child eats can interfere with healthy growth and development.
These simple changes should be enough to keep your child at a healthy weight, avoid childhood obesity and leave them feeling strong and healthy.
Sources
Early childhood family intervention and long-term obesity prevention among high-risk minority youth. Pediatrics. 6 February 2012. 129:3 e621–e628.
www.weightloss.about.com
www.howtolearn.com
www.savebabiescanada.org