Childhood obesity is a serious problem in terms of the number of children affected and the health problems this condition poses. If you have an obese child, you are in considerable company -- approximately one third of children in the United States are obese, according to the American Heart Association. Help your child to reduce excess weight with a combination of healthy eating and physical activity.
Nutrition Education Porgram
Rather than simply telling your child what he can or can't eat, help him learn how certain foods affect him by teaching him about the foods he eats. Read nutrition labels together to learn which of his favorite foods contain too much saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sugar and calories. Discuss alternatives he'll enjoy. For example, you can cut the fat, calories and cholesterol in pizza by skipping the pepperoni and sausage. Take a trip to a local farm, dairy or farmer's market to let him see where his food comes from.
Fat-Burning Program
Introduce your child to exercise at a less-intense pace than an aerobic workout. Fat-burning exercise occurs at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate -- you won't be gasping for breath or sweating hard. Brisk walking is an example of a fat-burning exercise. Find activities your child enjoys and get her to commit to 60 minutes each day of some type of physical activity. Come up with multiple workouts she can do, such as bike riding, roller skating, swimming, riding an exercise bike or walking a treadmill while she watches her favorite TV shows. The key is to make the activity fun.
Cooking Program
Your child may be less likely to turn up his nose at healthy food if he cooked it himself. Sit down with your child and plan each day's meals and snacks the night before. Find recipes for dinners and weekend meals he can cook. Take him to the store and let him help shop for the ingredients, reading nutrition labels to select the healthiest options. Cook with him, helping him learn how to use a food processor and other basic techniques.
Aerobic Exercise Program
After your child has built cardiovascular stamina and muscular endurance with fat-burning exercise, it's time to raise the level of exercise intensity. If your physician or school nurse approves it, create workouts that get her sweating and breathing hard. She should be able to talk during exercise, or she's working too hard. Add intervals of aerobic exercise to workouts at the beginning. For example, start walking, then after five minutes, do five minutes of jogging. Alternate throughout the workout. Look for non- and low-impact exercises that keep one or both feet on the ground at all times if your child has knee, hip, back or other joint problems.
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