Overweight Children - What Can A Parent Do To Help? Part 1 Of 5
By Lindsay Small, Fri Dec 9th
The latest figures released in the US state that 15 percent ofchildren and teenagers are now considered overweight, up from 6%20 years ago. Statistics in the UK are similar, and rising.Whilst children starve in Africa, kids in the Western world arelining up to suffer a frightening array of weight-relatedillnesses, including skin and joint problems, earlyosteoporosis, type II diabetes, bowel cancer, high bloodpressure, heart attack and strokes. Recent research alsosuggests that obese kids are 77% more likely to suffer fromasthma. And of course in a world where TV, movies, teenage sitcoms andadvertising all promote the ideal image and the "fat kid" isoften mocked and made the butt of all the jokes, many overweightchildren will increasingly suffer from lack of confidence andpoor self-esteem, leading to isolation and possibly depressionin their teenage years. Why do the numbers of overweight children keep going up?
* Portion sizes - at school, restaurants and home - keep growing * Children have far more choice in what they eat (previousgenerations ate what they were given, or went hungry) * Food is much more easily available * Kids' drinks, fizzy drinks and so-called "sports" drinksabound * Many snack foods and junk foods are specially targeted atkids, advertised to kids on TV, of little nutritional value, andfar from "filling". Some nutritionists even suspect thatchemical additives can make your child crave more of particularfoods * Fast food outlets have proliferated in recent years andprovide cheap, easy meals for time-stretched parents * Kids expect "instant gratification" in many areas of theirlives, including food. Living with hunger pangs - even for anhour - is no longer an option! * Parents are often setting
a bad example * Children no longer walk or cycle to school - or much at all!Outdoor activities are much less a part of their lives than inprevious generations * Spare time is spent on more sedentary pursuits, such astelevision, computers and video games, and even "texting". Thelatest figures suggest that the average American teenager spendsa horrifying 4 to 5 hours a day watching television! How can we help our overweight child to lose weight? Firstly, it is important to be aware that there is no magicformula and no instant solution. Your child will not be fit,healthy and the perfect weight overnight! If, however, yourchild eats sensibly and healthily and increases their physicalactivities, they will "grow into" their weight. Secondly, it is vital that any approach you choose does not makeyour child feel different, guilty, victimised or unhappy in anyway. Young children who worry about their weight grow intoteenagers with eating disorders. Thirdly, remember that by "banning" any foods you are likely tocreate rebellious feelings even in younger children, anddisobeying your dictates may even turn into a game (or worse, ashameful secret). You are never going to be able to totallyprevent a child from eating what he likes. If you forbidchocolate in your own house, for example, you can be sure yourchild will be eating it at friends' houses or at school if hegets half the chance! Parts 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this article suggest many ideas, tips andtactics for tackling the issues an overweight child faces andencouraging gentle and effective without damagingyour child's self esteem. About the author:Overweight kids? Overweight adults? Losing It My Way.comprovides the information and resources (including an innovativerange of free printables) to help you make your own weight lossdecisions! For a new look at visithttp://www.Losingitmyway.com. |
