Addressing weight problems in children requires a coordinated plan of physical activity and healthy nutrition
Eating breakfast high in quality protein— from enriched cereal, yoghurt, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, or fish— can help overweight teenagers eat fewer calories throughout the rest of the day and lose weight
sleep apnea, poor self-esteem, and long-term health problems in adulthood. Addressing weight problems in children requires a coordinated plan of physical activity and healthy nutrition.
spend a lot of time eating at school or friends’ houses. If your teen’ s choices are less than ideal, the best way to make changes is to emphasize short-term consequences of a poor diet, such as physical appearance or athletic ability. These are more important to teens than long-term health. For example,“ Calcium will help you grow taller.”“ Iron will help you do better on tests.”
Limit sugar in your child’ s diet
A child’ s body gets all the sugar it needs from that naturally occurring in food. Added sugar just means a lot of empty calories that contribute to hyperactivity, mood disorders, and increase the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even suicidal behaviours in teenagers. The American Heart Association recommends that sugar intake for children is limited to 3 teaspoons( 12 grams) a day.
Don’ t ban sweets entirely. Having a no sweets rule is an invitation for cravings and overindulging when given the chance.
Give recipes a makeover. Many recipes
34 Society taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. Instead, try adding a splash of fruit juice to sparkling water or blending whole milk with a banana or berries for a delicious smoothie.
Don’ t replace healthy sources of saturated fat with refined carbs or sugary snacks. It’ s a mistake many of us make. Instead of letting our kids eat whole-fat yoghurt, for example, we offer them low-fat versions, not realizing they’ re often packed with added sugar to make up for the loss of taste. Or we swap breakfast eggs for a pastry or muffin.
Create your own popsicles and frozen treats. Freeze 100 % fruit juice in an icecube tray with plastic spoons as Popsicle handles. Or make frozen fruit kabobs using pineapple chunks, bananas, grapes, and berries.
Don’ t ignore weight problems
Children who are substantially overweight are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, bone and joint problems,
Treatment for childhood obesity is to slow or halt weight gain( unless directed by your child’ s doctor), thereby allowing your child to grow into his or her ideal weight.
Eating a breakfast high in quality protein— from enriched cereal, yoghurt, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, or fish— can help overweight teenagers eat fewer calories throughout the rest of the day and lose weight.
Encourage exercise
The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise can even help motivate your kids to make healthy food choices.
Play with your kids. Throw around a football; go cycling, skating, or swimming; take family walks and hikes.
Help your kids find activities they enjoy by showing them different possibilities.
The bottom line
As a parent, you have an important role in shaping your children’ s eating habits. By creating a positive eating environment and being a good role model, you can help your children develop healthy eating habits that can make a lasting impact on their health