The key to your child achieving a healthy weight is teaching her healthy habits, encouraging daily exercise and good food choices, according to The Weight Control Information Network. If your child is overweight it is important to not force her to exercise or go on a calorie restrictive diet, as this can harm your child, notes the American Dietetic Association.
An effective solution is to engage in daily exercise in the form of play with your child and to change your families eating habits, adding more fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats and complex carbohydrates and cutting down on processed, refined and high sugar foods. If you think your child is overweight and needs to be on a calorie restrictive diet, consult your doctor.
Vegetable Sneak Plan
The vegetable sneak plan introduces more fresh vegetables into your child's daily diet without them knowing it. Sneaking the veggies in reduces their calorie count, provides them with vital nutrients they need to grow and fiber for a healthy digestive track. The key to this nutrition plan is to add fresh veggies to foods your child already loves such as blending broccoli, cauliflower and kale into a basic marinara sauce over whole grain pasta. According to the May 2007 "Science Daily," most kid's can't tell a difference in pasta sauce with added veggies. Add a variety of blended veggies to soups, stews, veggies burger and lean beef hamburgers to ensure your child gets their three servings a day.
Age Appropriate Calorie Counting
Age appropriate calorie counting provides you with the exact number of calories your child needs at different ages and stages of his life. The Mayo Clinic recommends children ages two to three eat 1,000 to 1,400 calories a day, depending on growth and activity levels. Five to 20 percent of these calories should be protein, 45 to 65 percent should be complex carbohydrates and 30 to 40 percent should be essential fatty acids. Choose proteins such as fish, turkey, lean beef and chicken and complex carbohydrates such as brown or wild rice, whole grain pasta, cereal and bread, oatmeal and fresh fruits and vegetables. Add essential fatty acids that are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated and avoid foods high in saturated fats. Children ages four to 18 have different caloric needs depending on age, gender and activity level, consult you doctor to find out what is best for your child.
Food Pyramid for Kids
Following the food pyramid for kids by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, provides your child with a well balanced diet for healthy brain and body function, energy and vital nutrients to help him grow. The food pyramid for children recommends eating six to 11 servings of whole grains, three to five servings of vegetables, two to four servings of fruit, two to three servings of dairy, two to three servings of meat and unsaturated fats sparingly.
References
- Weight Control Information Network: Helping Your Overweight Child
- American Dietetic Association: Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids
- ScienceDaily.com: Parents Can Sneak Veggies Into Kids' Diet; May 2007
- Health.gov: Build A Healthy Base; Let the Pyramid Guide Your Food Choices
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition For Kids: Guidelines For a Healthy Diet
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