Prevention of childhood and adolescence obesity starts with you, the parent. Prevent your children from being overweight or obese to prevent them from being obese adults. Take steps as a family to reduce the risk of your child or teenager becoming obese. You will be helping to minimize their likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening chronic health issues.
Prevention in Children
Step 1
Start with yourself. As parents, it is your job to set a good example for your children. Your children are less likely to be overweight if you are not overweight.
Step 2
Teach them how to eat. Control the amount of junk foods and sugary drinks your children consume. Teach them appropriate portion sizes, provide fruits and vegetables, and promote a lot of water consumption. Do not force them to finish what is on their plate if they tell you they are full.
Step 3
Get active with your children. Take them outside to play at the park. Teach them how to ride a bike, or throw a ball.
Step 4
Enroll your children in sports. Allow your child to choose a sport, but have him try a few. Team sports help children build confidence and social skills. Children involved in sports are less likely to develop weight problems.
Step 5
Monitor sedentary activity. Do not allow your children to be couch potatoes, sitting on the couch all day watching TV or playing video games. Set a time limit of one hour for such activities everyday.
Step 6
Develop your child's confidence and self-esteem. Do not berate them or call them names if they are overweight. Teach them to be happy with whom they are, and promote weight loss for health reasons.
Step 7
Pack your child's lunch. School lunches are not commonly nutritious. Know that your child is eating well by packing his lunch for school.
Prevention in Adolescents
Step 1
Encourage your teenager to participate in sports. If she is not comfortable with team sports or competition, find a private class. Parents often hire personal trainers in a private setting for their shy teenager, or try private dance lessons.
Step 2
Promote healthy eating. Prepare meals with your teen and eat as a family at the table.
Step 3
Tune in to your teenager. Adolescents often develop weight issues as a cover for other problems they might be experiencing. Talk with your teen and let him know you are there if he needs to talk about anything.
Step 4
Focus on healthy behaviors and physical activity, not on the numbers on the scale.
Step 5
Monitor time spent idle. Teens spend a lot of time on the phone, computer, TV and video games. Limit the time they are allowed to spend doing such activities, and suggest physical activities instead.
References
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Obesity in Children and Teens
- American Heart Association: Overweight in Children
- Center for Young Women's health: Eating Disorders: A General Guide for Teens
- University of Maryland; Sports Participation and Child Overweight: 1997-2002; Sandra L. Hofferth, Sally Curtin; June 2005
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