Being overweight and obese can be extremely hard for children. They are yet not aware of the implications their love for food has for their health but are very much aware of the jabs and taunts from their friends and family.
It can be hard for the parents to tackle obesity in their children; at one end, there is an urge to feed their child their favorite food, on the other hand, they want them to be healthy.
It is especially difficult for adolescents, as teenage and puberty are hard as it is. Add ruthless teasing and bullying to the mix, and you have a recipe for trauma for the child. Parents therefore should take immediate action for helping their overweight child lose weight.
However, parents should also be very careful in making this decision. Fad diet trends can endanger the growth of the child and so, it is better to confer with a Child specialist in Lahore with regards to healthy ways to help your child lose weight.
Helpful ways to lose weight:
Weight loss is more about lifestyle choices. Some of the tips to help your child through the journey of becoming healthy are:
Lead by example
Eating healthy is not always exciting; naturally, when you are to choose between a cheeseburger and broccoli, most of us will choose the former. So, when the rest of the family is gorging on the succulent burgers, it will be very hard for the child to eat and accept the green.
Similarly, when there are sources of temptation around, falling off the bandwagon is easier. Also, when the child alone is made to eat special ‘diet’ food, they feel singled out.
Therefore, try to start the journey of wellness as a family. Lead the child by example, so making healthy choices becomes easy for them.
Family exercise
Make exercise a fun time for the child since physical activity is imperative for the child to lose weight in a healthy fashion.
So, try to accompany your child through the exercise sessions. Play games as family, so that physical activity becomes fun for the child, and they associate positively with exercise.
Reorient reward system
Often, we tend to reward children with food. Got great marks? Chocolate bar for you. Made it to the soccer team? Time for family dinner at the burger joint.
This is problematic when your child already does not have a healthy relationship with food. Instead of telling your child that food is to be source of joy in the face of accomplishments, think of other ways to celebrate, like, going out for a hike. Bottom line, reorient your reward system as a family.
Junk detox
Remove all sources of temptation from your house. There should not be any junk food or similar unhealthy items lying around in the house that your child can resort to. Make sure that the environment you provide your child with has minimal temptations.
Portion control
Alongside eating healthy food, it is also important for exercising portion control. Children may not realize they are overeating, but as parents, you should know better. Thus, serve your child appropriate portion sizes.
One helpful way is using child-sized plates instead of big ones. Also, start off from smaller portions, and serve more only if the child wants seconds.
Visits to the doctor
It is vital for you to keep up with the doctor visits. Doctors are trained to pick up on nutrient deficiencies, eating disorders, and other any ailments that might jeopardize the health of the child. Thus, be sure to schedule regular appointments with your Child specialist in Islamabad.
