Struggling with overweight and obesity can be especially difficult for preteens because they may be teased at school or feel social pressure to eat unhealthy foods if their friends are doing the same thing. A strong support network can make all the difference in motivation and results, so parents can start helping by modeling healthy habits and reinforcing positive self-thought.
Medical Programs
Weight loss "camps," residencies and other programs throughout which participants are medically supervised by professionals are available for preteens. Some such programs are specifically designed for kids, while others accept both kids and adults. However, the National Institutes of Health cautions parents not to put preteens in programs that include weight loss diets or extreme calorie restriction diets because the eating plans may not provide enough vitamins, minerals, nutrients and calories for proper growth and development.
Diet
Diet doesn't have to mean restricting calories, and indeed, doing so may pose developmental risks for many preteens. Instead, diets to encourage weight maintenance and weight loss for kids focus on eating a balanced variety of nutritious foods. MyPyramid recommends eating plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as nonfat dairy products, whole grains and lean proteins every day. Make substitutes for normal kid favorites; for example, use low-fat cheese and whole-grain noodles when making macaroni and cheese, and offer desserts like applesauce or yogurt parfaits instead of doughnuts and ice cream.
Tips
Share helpful diet tips with your preteen and make sure you're serving healthy foods at home. KidsHealth.org urges parents and kids to notice drinks as well as food; cut down on sugar by choosing low-fat milk or water over soda and juice, for example. The site also offers a tip for portion control: about half of a dinner plate should contain vegetables or fruits, a quarter should be a starchy food, such as rice or bread and the remaining quarter should be protein, such as meat or tofu.
Exercise
According to MayoClinic.com, kids and teens need about 60 minutes of physical activity every day, regardless of whether they need to lose, gain or maintain weight. Meeting that 60-minute benchmark can help with weight loss as well as improve overall health. Try working out as a family: take regular walks, go skiing or ice skating during the winter and encourage active video games or extracurriculars that involve physical activity, such as team sports.
Lifestyle
Losing weight and keep it off involves lifestyle changes and not just temporary fixes. You can help your preteen get the best weight loss results by emphasizing the importance of making healthy choices every day rather than stressing the "rules" of diets or exercise.
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