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Age &
Weight Control in Children
All parents want the best
for their kids, but many parents, especially first time parents, may not always know what's best for their kids. One of the biggest
questions is often about what weight their child should be at. Parents don't
often know what a child of a certain age should weigh, let alone how to
control their child's weight or what
age is right to start teaching children
about diet and
exercise. So let's start with the age question.
At What Age Should We Teach Weight Management to our Children?
Unfortunately, there is no exact answer to this question. Part of it depends
on your child's individual intelligence level and attention span. For
example, a good rule of thumb is that children should at least start to
become aware of proper nutrition and good exercise routines by about the age
of seven.
Calorie Guidelines:
Everyone should eat around a certain number of
calories each day. Calorie
guidelines for children vary a bit, depending on if they're girls or boys
and what age they are. Also, some people have faster
metabolisms and others
have slower metabolisms. So, that can make a difference as well. Generally, though,
both boys and girls from ages seven to ten should be getting sufficient calories
each day for growth.
As a parent, it's important to know your own child's specific situation,
though. One great way to do that is to discuss
weight issues with your
child's doctor. They can tell you how much your child should be eating, as
well as what kinds of foods they should eat, or even those foods to avoid,
if after testing, it reveals some kind of food intolerance.
The Weight Epidemic:
These days, there really is an epidemic of obesity. Childhood obesity rates
are skyrocketing and it's not going to get any better if children don't
learn healthy habits early on. If they start bad habits, they're apt to
continue them as adults and even
pass them on to the next generation. It's
time to turn that trend around.
Younger Kids:
You should never rule out younger kids, either. Children have minds like
sponges. They soak up anything and everything they see or hear, right from
the start. So, they are certainly capable of picking up on things at almost
any age. Whether those things are good or bad is at least partly up to you,
the parent.
Leading By Example:
The best thing you can do to keep your child's weight under control is to
lead by example. If you spend to much time sitting in front of a TV or
computer, for instance, your child will probably follow on and learn the same habits. The same
thing goes for eating too much fast food or
junk food. After all, your
children may not want to eat healthy foods if you are eating
junk foods right in front
of them.
Too Late:
If your child is already overweight, you may think that it's too late to
change them. That's not true, though. The truth is that it's never too late
to get your child eating right and
exercising. There are some
tricks that
may help control weight management in children.
Exercise as Fun Activity:
The first thing to do, if your child is overweight, is to get them
motivated
to exercise. Every child has something that interests them. It might be
swimming, bike riding, basketball or some other activity. So, find some
outdoor activities that your child and, preferably, your entire family can
enjoy. After all, kids aren't like adults. They aren't meant to spend hours
doing the same routines over and over in a gym. They need some fun and
excitement along with their exercise.
Food Can Be Fun:
The process of eating healthy foods can also be fun for kids. Even at a
young age, you can get them involved in
preparing their daily school
lunches, for example. That can be a great bonding experience for you and
your child, too.
Starting Slow:
If your child is overweight already, the thing to remember is that you can't
change them overnight. IT IS A PROCESS! You could begin by getting your
child just to stop gaining weight, maybe starting with a few
dietary changes and a little
added exercise. It's not important that they actually lose weight
immediately, especially as they're still growing and will eventually need to
reach an adult weight anyway. After a while, and with a doctor's permission, you can begin to try to manage
the weight further, if need be, and get the
weight to reduce.
Child's
Weight Management Through Behavior:
A lot of getting children to lose weight has to do with modifying those
behaviors that got them into trouble in the first place. For example, don't
let your kids sit in front of their TV, video game system or computer all
day, every day. Limit it to only a couple of hours and make sure it's
balanced with some sort of activity.
Another step is switching the child's sugary snacks to healthier ones.
Fruits and
vegetables, for example, can be both
tasty and healthy. A couple
of apples each day, for instance, rather than cookies or cakes, can make a
huge difference to any child, as far as weight goes.
Cautions:
Children shouldn't be put on strict crash diets. As mentioned above,
moderate changes can be all that's needed to make a huge difference.
However, in ALL cases, it might be necessary to get your child some
extra medical help. That help could come in the form of a
dietitian or even
a weight loss camp for kids.
Although some weight loss camps for kids can be great, they do have a
certain stigma attached to them. Your child could be embarrassed and their self-esteem could be damaged, if they're forced to attend one. So, it's
important to consider not only your child's needs, but also their desires.
If they want to attend such a camp, make sure that you do some research and
find a reputable one. Also, give your child's
self-esteem a boost by never
referring to them as fat or making them
feel like a disappointment to them.
So, what it all comes down to is that childhood obesity is a very
real
problem, but it's also a very avoidable or correctable one. All you have to
do is take an active role in teaching your child healthy habits early on.
Then, those good habits can be passed on through the
generations and
everyone will be able to live longer and healthier lives.
Helping Children to Tackle With Their Obese Condition
The Health Problems Associated with
Childhood Obesity
You must seek approval from your doctor
before starting any new diet.
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