How can I help my obese child lose weight?

Remember to be a role model regarding healthy eating and physical activity.  Don’t judge your child or make jokes about their weight.  It is important that your child maintain a feeling of self-worth and increased self-esteem. 

Try these tips to maintain a healthy home environment:

-         Schedule time to be active as a family.

-         Eat together as a family at the dinner table – no TV!

-         Keep healthy foods and snacks in the house – lots of vegetables and fruits.

-         Limit the availability of foods high in saturated fats and sugar.

-         Limit the amount of time your child spends daily watching TV, playing video games, or using the computer.

-         Encourage drinking water and skim milk instead of juice and sodas.

-         Be a role model!

Do not put your child on a “diet”. It is important to speak to your child’s physician about your child’s weight.  Be open and honest about your child’s habits and ask for their input.  They can create a plan to help control your child’s weight.

Did you know that almost one third of American kids and teens are considered either overweight or obese? We’ve read all the warnings that the long-term consequences of obesity are very serious. Here are solutions to help your overweight child:

Boost self-esteem. Your role is not only to help an overweight child control her weight and learn healthier eating habits, but also help her feel accepted and loved for who she is and not for the size you hope she becomes. Don’t overlook the possibility that there may be an emotional trigger to your child’s overeating–a distressing issue or a need for attention. 

Don’t nag about weight! Studies show that for both genders, being encouraged to diet by a parent roughly triples the likelihood of the child still overweight five years later. So switch your focus from calories, diet, or dress size to food choices, eating habits and exercise. 

Hide that scale. Constant emphasis on weight only boosts sibling rivalry and will backfire. A study of more than 2000 teens, who weighed themselves frequently, found that instead of losing weight, they gained nearly twice as much as those kids who didn’t weigh in. 

Change your entire family’s eating habits. Change is more likely if the whole family eats the same healthy foods. So switch your emphasis from “calories” to a “healthier life style.” Start by trashing the junk food and stocking the fridge with healthier foods. Limit fast-food intake as a family. Involve your kids in meal planning. 

Get active as a family! One study found that overweight kids who lost weight were successful because they participated in vigorous physical activity. So find an active hobby you can do together as a family; mother-daughter exercise clubs, buy pedometers for family walks, or try an exercise-gaming system. Research finds that activity-oriented video games that require kids to walk on a treadmill while dancing, kicking and dodging triples the energy expenditure of mildly obese kids. 

Limit TV time. One study found that the single most influential factor that helps kids lose weight is reduced TV viewing time. 

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Helping an overweight child is tricky. Try not to focus on losing weight, but rather on eating healthy and exercising. Most kids, especially teens, who are nagged to lose weight end up gaining weight. The positive ideas of a healthy lifestyle should become a goal rather than a punishment. Focus on empowering your child by taking them grocery shopping with you and letting them help pick out the healthy foods for the whole family to share. In addition, let them pick the exercise activities for the family. Part of living a healthy lifestyle is a being in a healthy environment. Children cannot make lifestyle changes well, unless the entire family strives for the same goals.