Obesity is a growing problem in America. And as more and more adults struggle with this problem, so do their children. Obese children are more likely to experience cardiovascular disease, joint issues and psychological problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Making lifestyle changes, however, can improve your child's health.
Percentage of Overweight Children
The number of overweight children is on the rise. In 1980, approximately 6.5 percent of children were overweight. As of 2008, this figure has tripled. Approximately 19.6 percent of children are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is typically caused by consuming too many calories, inactivity or genetic factors. Physical activity and diet changes can help your child maintain a healthy weight.
Promoting Physical Activity
Your child needs a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise daily, according to the CDC. If this seems like a lot, don't worry. Your child might already meet this requirement when you consider all of his activities. Playing team sports, walking the family dog or spending time running and playing at the park counts towards this requirement. As long as your child is moving, it's considered aerobic activity.
Limit television watching, which promotes inactivity. KidsHealth from Nemours recommends two hours or less of media watching daily, including computer and video games.
Building Stronger Bones
Activity isn't just important to maintaining a healthy weight; it's important to bone strengthening, too, according to the CDC. Incorporate bone-strengthening activities into your child's aerobic activity sessions. For example, enroll your child in gymnastics class, or encourage her to practice using the monkey bars. As your child becomes a teen, structured activities, such as lifting weights are appropriate. Talk with your child's pediatrician before starting a new exercise or diet program.
Fostering Healthy Eating
Healthy eating habits can reduce your child's risk for obesity. Encourage your child to reach for vegetables and fruits instead of high-fat and high-calorie foods, like chips and crackers. Limit consumption of sodas and juices. Instead, encourage your child to drink low-fat milk or water. Insist that your child eat breakfast daily. It provides higher levels of concentration and promotes a healthy weight. Egg whites, whole-wheat toast or whole-grain cereal are a few options. If you want to calculate daily serving sizes of each food group for your child's age and weight, MayoClinic.com offers a Healthy Pyramid Tool.
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