5 Tips to Deal with Obesity in Kids
Obesity is a serious problem that is impacting more kids each year. It is a disease that negatively impacts the quality of life that children can have, and it impacts the quality of life that the child will have when they are adults. To help reduce the risks of heart disease, diabetes, organ failure, depression, and other health problems you need to take control of your childs health and help them to be healthier individuals.
1. Figure Out the Cause
There are many causes of obesity in children. Some causes are emotional, some are social, while others are medical. Before you can correct the problem you need to understand the cause. You can start by talking with your child. Try to gage their happiness. Find out if there is something that is going on in their life that is causing them to seek refuge in food. If you cant seem to find an emotional reason for their over-eating visit with your pediatrician. You child may be suffering from a medical condition that is causing their weight gain.
2. Lead by Example
You are your childs number one role model. If you are eating high fat, high calorie foods all day long and not exercising then they will think that this is how you are supposed to act. Change your eating habits and exercise habits and include your child in your lifestyle changes.
3. Create an Environment That Supports Healthy Eating Habits
One of the most difficult thing to do is to stop eating junk food. This is because high fat high calorie foods are addictive. If you want to create a home environment that supports healthy eating habits you are going to have to stop buying junk food all together. Going cold turkey is the only way to kick this bad habit. Replace junk food with tasty, but healthy alternatives. Make sure that there are always healthy snacks on hand. This will help reduce the withdrawal pangs and help foster better food choices.
4. Play Together
One way to encourage your child to become more active is to make exercise a family activity. Try going to the park together, taking hikes together, or playing sports together. You may also want to train for a foot race together. This will give your family a fitness goal to work for, and it will add extra incentive to stick with an exercise program.
5. Provide Opportunities for Your Child to Independently Active
While it is important to exercise as a family, it is also important to provide your child with the opportunity to be independently active. Try signing them up for sports team, or lesson of some sort. To ensure that they stick with the activity select the team or lesson together. If cost is a concern consider joining a YMCA or school sponsored team.