The number of overweight children living in the United States has skyrocketed in recent decades. A moderate approach to weight loss is almost always recommended by health and nutrition experts, as children are growing and need to maintain a proper intake of calories and nutrients. "Quick-fix" diets are not appropriate for kids. However, there are a few simple and immediate steps parents can take in order to kick-start a weight-loss program for their child.
Take Control
First of all, as the parent, you are in charge of your own household---that means it is within your power to set an example and make your home a healthy one. Rid your refrigerator and pantry of foods that offer little to no nutritional value and that encourage mindless snacking. Replace these foods with healthy---and delicious---alternatives (vegetables, hummus, fresh fruits). It is important for children to see healthy food not as something to be avoided, but as something to embrace. Encourage an active family. Turn off the television and video games, and plan plenty of family bonding outside at community parks, hiking trails or even just the backyard.
Developing Healthy Eating Habits
After making a clean sweep of the problem foods in your home, make nutritious alternatives immediately available for your children. Make them aware that, as a family, you are all going to begin to eat healthily with more moderately proportioned meals. Start with breakfast, which should be insisted upon every day. Children who eat a sensible breakfast have better eating habits and consume fewer calories over the course of a day than children who do not. Additionally, eliminate soda and candy from your children's daily menu. These items should be considered treats to be enjoyed on special occasions, not everyday food. Sugary, high-fat foods do not need to be gradually phased out of your child's diet; eliminate them immediately and start introducing your child to delicious and healthful alternatives.
Making An Active Life the Norm
Get your children outside---now. Most children in modern Western society spend an extraordinary amount of their day in a sedentary state, sitting in school during the day, followed by evenings of sitting in front of the television or completing homework. The idea of active play has all but disappeared from children's daily routines. As the parent, it is up to you to enforce this. Require that your children play outside for a certain amount of time during each day, and plan family outings such as hikes, afternoons at your local park or a game of pick-up basketball. Once children see physical activity as part of their day (and an enjoyable part, at that), their resistance to your efforts to get them off the couch will lessen.
The Beauty of Water
Many children are raised on the ideas that calories from beverages do not count, and that beverages should always be sweet. Think juice, sports drinks, lemonade, and soda. A lesson that many children miss is the importance of water in their daily intake. Water should be the primary beverage option in your household, and children should learn to think of water---not limeade or cola---as the natural choice if they are thirsty.
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