Nineteen percent of kids ages 6 to 11 are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Being obese places kids at risk for developing adult chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. But kids should not be placed on adult restrictive diets. Good diets for overweight kids should teach them healthy habits that will last the rest of their lives.
Slimkids
Slimkids is an at-home weight-management program designed by a nurse with over 27 years of pediatric experience. The program is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and has been approved by dietitians and pediatricians, according to the website.
Slimkids teaches kids about healthy eating for weight control and encourages weight loss of about one pound per week. The plan is not overly restrictive and allows kids to eat the foods they enjoy, like hamburgers and hot dogs, while learning about portion control. The program includes diet guidelines, sample menus, recipes, a food diary, tips for holiday eating and tips for snacking after school. Once you order the program, you will also have access to online support to answer questions and provide motivation.
Go, Slow and Whoa!
Go, Slow and Whoa! is not a diet, but a tool parents use to teach their kids how to make healthy food choices. It divides foods into three categories. Foods in the Go are healthy, low-calorie choices. Kids can eat as much as they want from the Go group, according to the Nemours Foundation. Examples of Go foods include apples, salad, whole wheat bread and skim milk.
Foods in the Slow group have more calories than Go foods and are not as healthy. Kids should only eat foods from the Slow group a few times a week. Examples of Slow foods include white bread, juice and 2 percent milk. If your kids eat too many Whoa! foods, they will be more likely to gain weight, according to the Nemours Foundation. Whoa! foods are unhealthy and should only be consumed on occasion. Examples of Whoa! foods include chicken nuggets, whole milk and French fries.
Shapedown
Shapedown was designed by faculty at the University of California Medical Center at San Francisco. It is a group weight-management program that focuses on the family. Kids have more success with weight loss when they have the support of their family, according to the website.
Parents and their kids meet once a week for two hours to learn how to be more active as a family and make better food choices. The program also works on building self-esteem and body image. The program is gentle, according to the website, and kids usually lose one to two pounds a week.
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