Eight easy tips against child obesity

The number of children who are obese or overweight is growing at an alarming rate. Extra pounds increase the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma. Childhood obesity also increases the emotional burden on a child’s fragile psyche. Being overweight can lead to teasing and not wanting to play with a child, which can lead to low self-esteem and depression. But you can help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

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Risk factors for obesity in children

Overweight and obesity in children arise from serious health problems such as:

• diabetes mellitus type 2
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• diseases of bones and joints
• asthma
• restless or disordered sleep
• liver and gallbladder diseases
• depression and low self-esteem

Children who are unhappy with their weight may also be more prone to eating disorders and substance abuse. Diagnosing and treating overweight and obesity in children early can reduce the risk of developing serious health problems. No matter what your children's weight, let them know that you love them and all you want to do is help them be healthy and happy.

Is your child really overweight?

Children grow at different rates and at different times, so it’s not always easy to tell if a child is overweight. Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement of height and weight, and then a formula can be used to estimate how much body fat a child has. But while BMI is a good indicator, it’s not a perfect measure of stored body fat and can be misleading in some situations. For example, BMI can be difficult to interpret during puberty, when children are going through a growth spurt.

If your child has a high BMI - this may be age-related, then the doctor may need additional data. This may include an assessment of diet, physical activity, hereditary obesity and other medical examinations. The doctor can also diagnose other diseases that can cause childhood obesity.

Causes of Obesity in Children

Understanding why children are overweight can help break the cycle. In most cases of obesity, children simply eat too many fatty and sugary foods and don’t exercise enough. Children need enough calories to support healthy growth and development. But when children consume more calories than they use in a day, their weight increases. Many factors contribute to the growing imbalance of calories and their use.

1. In the family, everyone eats more than they need.
2. Easy access for children to cheap food, high-calorie fast foods and fatty cakes.
3. Portions are larger than necessary, both at school and at home.
4. Children spend less time actively playing outdoors and more time watching TV and playing computer games.
5. Many schools do not practice vigorous physical activity.

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Myths and Truths about Weight and Obesity Problems in Children

Myth: Childhood obesity is genetic, so there's nothing you can do about it.

True. A person’s genes do influence weight, but they are only one factor. Although some children are more likely to gain weight than others, that doesn’t mean they will actually have weight problems. Most children with negative genetics can maintain a healthy weight if they eat right and exercise regularly.

Myth: Children who are obese or overweight should be put on a diet.

True. If there is no doctor's recommendation for a diet, do not torture your child with it. The goal should not be to deplete the body, but to slow down or stop obesity, which allows your child to remain at his ideal weight.

Myth. A child who was overweight in childhood will remain so in old age. There is no need to do anything – nothing will work.

True. Childhood obesity does not always lead to obesity in later life, but it does increase the risk of being overweight in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the child's health starting from school. This will give him the opportunity to get his weight in order and control it in the future.

Tip #1: Let the whole family participate in your child’s weight loss

Healthy habits start with the home environment. The best way to combat excess weight or prevent childhood obesity is to get the whole family on the treadmill. Or any other sport. Sports and conscious food choices will benefit everyone, regardless of weight. And then it will be much easier for the child to make long-term changes in diet and physical activity.

The most effective way to influence your child is by example. If your children see that you eat your vegetables, that you are active, that you limit your time in front of the TV and computer, there is a good chance that they will do the same. These habits will help you maintain a healthy weight, too.

What are you eating? Talk to your child about the healthy foods you eat while you're at the table. You might say, "I'm eating broccoli with garlic sauce. Do you want a snack?"

How do you cook? Make healthy food for your children. Better yet, tell them about what you do and why it is good for the body.

How do you exercise? Do exercises every day. Tell the children what you are doing and why, and invite them to join you.

How do you spend your free time? Avoid television or computer games. Children will not watch television if their parents are doing something more interesting, and will definitely join you.

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Tip #2: Use weight loss strategies for you and your baby

Control your leisure time and your child’s leisure time. You can turn off the TV and video games. You can get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the rest of the way, especially when you are with your children. You can cook more vegetables for your family’s dinner.

Think about the health benefits. If reducing your risk of heart disease seems abstract, focus on the good things that can happen right now. You won’t feel hungry if you eat less or skip dessert. Instead of cake, a fruit salad can taste great and look pretty. Going for a walk with your teen can give you both the pleasure of great conversations you never expected. Dancing or playing with your kids is a lot of fun and can help you lose weight without even noticing.

Make small changes gradually. You can start with new approaches to eating and physical activity that the whole family is really willing to try. For example, instead of turning on the TV, take a walk after dinner a few days a week. And instead of chocolate cake with frosting, enjoy sliced strawberries with sour cream.

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Tip #3: Eat Healthy at Home

Start eating healthy today, as a family. It is important that the whole family is obsessed with the idea of healthy eating at home and in other places, such as on a picnic. To help your child overcome obesity, you need to help him develop a healthy relationship with food. You may have to make some serious changes in your overall family lifestyle.

Eat salads. Encourage the consumption of a variety of vegetables and fruits. They should be colorful - red (beets, tomatoes), orange (carrots, pumpkin), yellow (potatoes, bananas), green (lettuce leaves, broccoli). Such salads are called rainbow. They bring a lot of pleasure to the child because of their beautiful appearance and pleasant taste.

Make breakfast a priority. Kids who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who skip the first meal of the day. Focus on healthy choices like oatmeal, fresh fruit, whole grain cereals, and low-fat milk.

Reduce fat intake. Your child certainly needs fats – they need them for proper development and growth. But these fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Do not under any circumstances turn back to fast food, unhealthy smoked and salted foods and sweets.

Set a clear mealtime schedule. If your children know they will eat at a certain time, they are more likely to eat what is prepared for them than if they have a random mealtime.

Eat dinner at home. If you are hungry, avoid fast food and processed foods and cook at home – family dinners can be a very good, healthy tradition.

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Tip #4: Be smart about sweets

It is vital for your child that your kitchen combines healthy food and at the same time be a source of pleasure for him. Therefore, sweets should not be banned completely - it will not be very useful. Moreover, glucose is needed for the brain to work.

Don't ban sweets completely. You can't deprive a child of his usual joy, it's a big psychological stress for him. Just choose more expensive sweets that don't use palm oil and trans fats.

Replace soda with juice. But it shouldn't be store-bought juices - they have too much sugar, which contributes to weight gain. It should be natural fresh juices. Which are now easy to make from an apple, carrot or tomato in a food processor.

Include plenty of fruit in your child’s diet. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table so that your child can have a snack at any time. In winter, these can be juices, fruit smoothies, frozen bananas in chocolate and nuts, strawberries and whipped cream, and sliced apples.

What foods should be included in the diet and which ones should be reduced?

Best products	Cut out these foods
Fresh fruits and vegetables	Soda, sweetened lemonade, fruit punch, fruit juices with added sugar.
Low-fat or skim milk, sour cream, kefir, cheese.	Hot dogs, fatty meats, sausages, chicken nuggets.
Whole grain breads and cereals, low-fat biscuits.	White bread, sweet breakfast cereals, chips.
Low-fat chilled yogurt, frozen fruit juice, rice, ginger	Cookies, cakes, candies, ice cream, donuts.

Tip #5 Reduce portion sizes

There are methods you can use to satisfy your family's appetites while still giving everyone enough calories.

What is a normal portion? What you usually eat can be equal to two or three normal portions. A normal portion is a fist-sized amount of food.

Read food labels. Serving size and calorie information can be found on the back of food packaging. You may be surprised at how small the recommended serving size is or how many calories are in a food item.

Use smaller plates. Portions will look larger and your child will eat less if you use smaller bowls or plates.

Divide food into smaller portions. The larger the portion, the more likely children are to eat the entire portion without realizing it.

Reduce your order at a restaurant. When you eat out, share dishes with your child or order an appetizer instead of a high-calorie main course. Order half a portion instead of a whole one.

Tip #6: Let your child move more

Children who sit too much and move too little are more likely to become overweight. Children should exercise at least an hour a day. This may seem like a lot, but you don’t have to do all the exercises at once. Morning exercises for 15-20 minutes, evening exercises or jogging, and daytime walking or active children’s games.

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Ideas for kids exercises

It used to be common for kids to run and play outside, burning off a lot of energy and maintaining their weight. In today's world, especially in big cities, that's not always possible. If your kids don't have the opportunity to spend much time outdoors, there are options for increasing their activity levels.

Play active games indoors. These games can be played at home or in the gym. Hide and seek, skipping rope, and brisk walking are great activities for a child. You can buy exercise equipment and place it in the child’s room. This could be a wall bars, a treadmill, or a bicycle trainer.

Go for a walk outside with your child. Go for a walk together, organize a bike ride around the city, explore a local park, visit a playground, or play with your child in the yard.

Do some housework together. As you know, vacuuming and washing floors are great aerobic exercises for the body. If your child helps you more around the house, he or she will be able to burn a huge amount of calories without even noticing it.

Enroll your child in a sports school or dance class. If your budget allows, enroll your children in training. The best sport for an obese child may be swimming. It relieves the strain on the spine, ligaments, and joints and at the same time allows the child to burn a large number of calories.

Tip #7: Develop a culture of watching TV in your child

The more time your children spend watching TV, playing video games, sitting at the computer, the less time they spend on active games. Limiting TV viewing and sitting at the computer will result in the child spending more time in the gym or outdoors. But keep in mind that you may have to reduce your own time watching TV and change your attitude towards it.

Limit TV time. Research shows a link between screen time and obesity, so set limits on your child's TV and web surfing. Experts recommend that children watch no more than two hours of TV per day.

Stop eating in front of the TV. You can limit your child's extra calorie intake by prohibiting him from eating in front of the TV. Tell your child that from now on, your entire family eats at a table in a room where there is no TV.

Create an alternative to TV. Instead of your child spending more time in front of the TV or computer, promise them something else, like a walk or an activity of your choice. For example, painting or going on a swing together.

Encourage your child to try new hobbies. Making major changes to your child’s lifestyle is stressful. Therefore, these new changes should be enjoyable and beneficial to them. An overweight or obese child may feel sad, angry, embarrassed, or frustrated from time to time. In the past, they would deal with stress by eating in front of the TV or playing computer games. But now, the child is deprived of this unhealthy pleasure. Since this is no longer an option, help your child find a healthy alternative. Ask them what they would like to do as a hobby. Hobbies can help children build their self-esteem, relieve stress, and provide a healthy outlet for stress.

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Tip #8: Don't skimp on time for your child

You can have a huge impact on your children's health by being an active part of their lives.

Talk to your children often. Ask them about their school day, do it every day. Listen to their problems and take action as soon as necessary.

Stay in touch with teachers. Talk to your child's teachers, either in person or over the phone. Ask them if your child is having any problems at school.

Spend time with your children. You don’t have to spend all your time with your child because you probably work. But you need to set aside this time every day, at least an hour a day in the morning and as much as you can in the evening. Playing together, reading, cooking or any other activities that you do together can help your child build self-esteem, feel safe and secure. And the child’s excess weight will be defeated.

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