If your child weighs more than 95 percent of other kids who are the same height and age, he may be considered overweight, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. While some overweight kids grow into their weight, others continue to have weight problems well into their adult years. A child who remains overweight is at increased risk for health problems such as diabetes and heart disease, but making some lifestyle changes early on will improve his chances of living a healthy adult life.
Step 1
Turn off the television from time to time. When you limit the amount of television your child watches--particularly if you encourage her to play outside after school--she will be more inclined to participate in more active pastimes such as biking and playing tag, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Alternately, your child burns off less energy watching television than she burns off by just sitting still and resting, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Your child may also be more likely to snack on high calorie foods while watching her favorite shows.
Step 2
Be active together as a family. Your child doesn't need to run on a treadmill at the gym if he gets exercise through play and other daily activities. Together, you can walk or bike to your child’s school, take the stairs rather than escalators or elevators, walk the dog after dinner and go on active outings such as family hikes, suggests the University of Michigan Health System. If your child is already active on a regular basis, he may not think twice about having active hobbies. Alternately, a sedentary family lifestyle may encourage him to adopt sedentary habits.
Step 3
Prepare healthy meals. Focus on feeding the whole family multiple fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or skim dairy and lean meats and protein sources such as poultry, fish, beans and nuts. To generate more enthusiasm about eating healthy foods, encourage your child to pick out her favorite healthy fruits and vegetables from the store and incorporate them in a stir-fry and fruit salad dessert. Also consider structuring your meal plan so that you eat all meals at the same time of day, suggests the University of Michigan Health System.
Step 4
Walk past the junk food aisle. Your child will be less likely to sneak unhealthy foods if they’re not readily available in your home. If you’re not sure what constitutes “junk food,” Parents Magazine suggests considering whether your great-grandparents would have recognized the snack you’re about to purchase; most of the time, cheese puffs and anything shaped like a nugget won’t qualify as healthy. To encourage your child to snack on healthy foods, have readily available premade snacks such as chopped celery with peanut butter and yogurt cups with fresh fruit.
Tips and Warnings
- Actively monitor your own eating and exercising habits. You are your child’s role model.
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