Obesity doesn't just put kids at risk of being mocked by their peers, it also heightens their chances of ultimately developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Therefore, helping overweight kids grow into having healthy bodies should be a top priority for responsible authority figures. When it comes to helping kids lose weight, the focus shouldn't be on rigorous gym trips and counting every carbohydrate. Simply encouraging healthy choices by being a positive role model can make a huge difference.
Step 1
Talk to a pediatrician before you try to help your child lose weight. If your child's pediatrician tells you that your child is obese, ask him how much weight, if any, your child should lose. Not all kids need to actually lose weight. If your child is young, the doctor may simply suggest that he not gain any extra weight to eventually grow into a leaner body. Older kids may need to lose a little.
Step 2
Pull out a calculator when your child is not in the room to figure out what it will take to bring him to his goal weight. One pound equals 3,500 calories. To burn off one pound per week, your child would need to cut out about 250 calories of food per day and get enough exercise to burn off about 250 calories per day.
Step 3
Pack your grocery cart with lots of fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates (found in many whole grains and leafy greens), low-fat dairy, sugar-free peanut butter, lean meat and---yes---some fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats improve heart health, so throw some avocados, almonds, and salmon into the cart as well.
Step 4
Allow your child to pick one junk food such as a bag of chips for the family to enjoy during the week, but let him know that another one won't be purchased until the next grocery trip. That way, he won't feel entirely deprived and sneak lots of treats when you're not around.
Step 5
Cook food together and create themed food nights to make healthy eating a whole-family routine. Let your child pick out the most colorful vegetables for your stir-fry, and assign him an age-appropriate task. Younger children can pull vegetables out of the refrigerator for you and stir meals, while older children may be allowed to help chop food.
Step 6
Encourage your child to exercise by making active hobbies a family routine. Taking walks, hikes, bike rides or swims as a family will give you a chance to bond and be fit together. Trips to the local skating rink and rock climbing wall can be treats for good behavior. If you are creative, your child will start to make positive associations with physical activity. Kids can burn 100 calories just by running around outside with their friends.
Step 7
Limit your child's time in front of the television. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that preschool-aged kids who were in rooms with the television on for more than 2 hours every day were at higher risk of being overweight. Television encourages children to spend less time doing physical activity, and it inundates them with advertising for junk foods, fast-food happiness and soda.
Step 8
Encourage positive media interaction. Television time can be educational on occasion, and even video game time be maximized. For example, dancing video games encourage couch-dwelling kids to get up and move.
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