Parents, teachers and fitness professionals are looking for simple tips to help overweight kids lose excess pounds. A combination of healthy eating, active lifestyle, and weight management education can help kids get to a healthy body weight, safely.
Scope of the Problem
The Pediatric Weight Management Department at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital reports that "excessive weight is the most prevalent nutritional disease among children and adolescents in the United States."
Medical Evaluation
A comprehensive health check, including tests for diabetes, thyroid conditions and other illnesses which can affect body weight, is a recommended first step for kids who need to lose weight. A medical evaluation can rule out or, if needed, treat these contributing factors.
Growing into Weight
A common goal of hospital programs, such as the Pediatric Weight Control Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford Hospital, California, is simply to stop kids from gaining weight as they gradually grow in height versus insisting they lose weight during childhood growth phases.
Eliminate Unhealthy Foods
Healthy eaters are more likely to be in healthy weight ranges. One simple way to cut unneeded saturated fats, sugars and additives from a child's diet is to cut or drastically reduce sugary soft drinks, candy, fried foods and fast food meals from his diet.
Get Everyone Involved
Support your overweight child with plenty of healthy food and activity choices for the family, at home and outside the house. A family bike ride followed by fruit for dessert is good for parents and siblings, too, even if weight loss is not the goal.
Make Child-Sized Changes
Do not overhaul everything in your child's life at once to address weight loss goals. Start with general education and a simple goal, like following the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid for kids. The website at MyPyramid.gov has a host of activities like coloring pages, plus tips and resources for adults.
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