How to Prevent Your Child from Becoming Overweight

October 07, 2008

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How to Prevent Your Child from Becoming Overweight

by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D.
reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Over the years, Americans have benefited from the improvements made in the area of child nutrition, including a more plentiful food supply, improvements in food sanitation, and the increased knowledge about the nutritional requirements of children. The result has been a decrease in the incidence and severity of many childhood illnesses.

Now we're faced with another type of nutrition problem: Statistics show that around 20 percent of American children are overweight. While little is definitively known about whether being overweight in childhood has an effect on health as an adult, studies have found that overweight children frequently become overweight adults.

And although it may be difficult for some to think of the consequences that might result 10 or 20 years down the road, the immediate emotional and social problems that overweight children face often are reason enough for wise parents to want their children to maintain a healthy weight.

Keep in mind that a larger-than-average child may not, in fact, be overweight, just as every child who is thin is not necessarily underweight. If you're unsure as to whether your child is overweight, discuss this with his pediatrician.

The following list offers a number of simple things that you can do to help your child stay at a healthy weight:

Teach moderation. Excessively large portions are now commonplace in restaurants and at home. Try serving small portions at meals, then allowing your child to have a second portion if he wants. In restaurants, encourage ordering the small size instead of the giant size whenever possible or suggest taking home part of the meal and saving it for a future lunch or dinner.

Limit snacking. Although most children do, in fact, need between-meal snacks for normal growth, they don't need to snack all day long. Don't be afraid to limit your child to one snack two or three times a day.

Avoid fried foods. Frying foods adds calories, not nutrition. Choose other methods of cooking, such as rubbing on a small amount of vegetable oil to foods and then baking. If your child likes French fries, encourage him to share an order instead of getting his own.

Choose healthy snack foods. Large bags of potato or corn chips left on kitchen counters or in the front of cabinets invite nibbling even when not hungry. Buying an occasional small bag and storing it at the back of the cabinet prevents snacking on it just because it's there. Try keeping a bowl of fruit out on the kitchen table instead. Low-fat popcorn, rice cakes, and pretzels also make good alternatives.

Use some reduced-fat products. Many commonly eaten foods are now available in lower fat versions. Try low-fat milk (even the 1 percent fat milk tastes pretty good), cream cheese, mayonnaise, ice cream, and crackers. Just keep in mind that young children do, in fact, need fat in their diets, so don't drastically restrict their fat intake.

Go easy on sugary drinks. "Supersize" bottles and cups of soda, punch, fruit juice, and sports drinks are extremely popular--and full of extra calories. Suggest drinking water to quench thirst instead, or dilute these sweet beverages with water to help avoid your child filling up on empty calories.

Be active. Regular physical activity is key to controlling weight. Limit television watching and computer games while promoting walking, biking, playing ball, dancing, swimming--anything fun that makes you move.

Above all else, be a good role model. Rather than nagging or lecturing your child about a healthy lifestyle, show him how it's done. Your child is more likely to take an active approach to life and enjoy healthy foods if you do.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Weight Worries
			Overweight and Underweight
			Healthy Eating

Created July 01, 2001
Reviewed July 05, 2001

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