At least one in five children in the United States is overweight, according to Athealth.com. While a number of factors contribute to this problem, the most common include genetics, poor eating habits and lack of physical activity. Overweight children face the risk of becoming overweight teens and adults unless help for the problem is sought. Parents and caregivers play an intricate role in this process, and unless they handle it properly, their child may be stuck with this problem for life.
Step 1
Show the child support. Athealth.com explains that one of the most important things a parent can do for their overweight child is show him support. The child already realizes he is overweight, and needs to know that his parents love him no matter what his size. Athealth.com explains that children base their feelings about themselves on the feelings their parents have for them. Therefore, the more supportive parents are, the higher a child's self-esteem will be.
Step 2
Model healthy behavior. Teaching your child that food is fuel for the body, and is necessary for growth and development. Parents helping their overweight children can slowly introduce new foods in a fun way. For instance when snack time arrives, substitute broccoli for cookies and provide a fun fact about it. Then enjoy the broccoli with together, demonstrating that it's good for both of you.
Step 3
Encourage physical activity. Physical activity is a major piece of the puzzle when helping a child lose weight. It is important to find activities the child enjoys. The Weight-control Information Network suggests having the child play tag with her siblings, dancing to her favorite music or jumping rope. Including the entire family not only sets a good example, but shows support for the child.
Step 4
Incorporate healthy eating habits. A child needs to change his eating habits to successfully lose weight. Parents need to make sure their child begins each day with breakfast, as skipping it can cause him to search for less healthy snacks later on. Reducing the amount of fast food decreases the amount of fat and calories he consumes, while eating home-cooked meals as a family allows him to enjoy a variety of healthy food, including vegetables.
Step 5
Call it healthy eating, not a diet. Athealth.com warns that placing an overweight child on a restrictive diet can be harmful to her health and interfere with her growth and development. Instead the child should be given an array of healthy food choices from the food pyramid; this demonstrates the importance of food balance from all the major food groups and is a learning tool for the child. The only time a diet should be used is for medical reasons and even then it should be supervised by a doctor.
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