It's no longer unusual for a preteen child to be overweight. Even though less than 7 percent of children ages 6 to 11 were considered overweight in 1980, that number tripled to nearly 20 percent as of 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight children risk staying overweight as adults, which can increase their health risks. Fortunately, some easy ways exist for preteens to lose pounds.
Get Active
Children's activity levels tend to drop as they move toward the teen years, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Since physical activity can help your child lose excess pounds, encourage him to pursue an activity he enjoys or to try something new, such as skateboarding or rollerblading. Consider banning or limiting television and video games during daylight hours, or invest in games that require physical activity, such as dance or martial arts games.
Ban Sweetened Drinks
Sweetened drinks, such as sodas and fruit drinks, can add significant calories to a preteen child's diet, according to the website KidsHealth.org. If your child drinks two or three sodas each day, she's consuming upwards of 400 calories a day -- all sugar. Eliminating those drinks and substituting water or calorie-free beverages could help her drop about 1 pound per month, if she doesn't replace those calories.
Eat Healthier Foods
Families with an overweight child should plan meals around fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources and whole grains, and limit pre-meal snacking, according to KidsHealth.org. In addition, if your child doesn't have access to high-fat chips and other high-calorie snacks, he can't eat them -- so don't buy them. Instead, stock the refrigerator and pantry with appealing fruit and crunchy whole-grain, low-fat chips.
Get Family Involved
Involving the entire family to help an overweight child lose weight can produce excellent results, according to Washington University in St. Louis. It also might help other family members, since overweight or obese children are more likely to have overweight parents and siblings. Work with your child to set goals and eat healthier foods, and consider starting a joint parent-child exercise routine. If you need help, talk to your child's pediatrician about realistic goals and weight loss expectations for a preteen child.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity
- University of Michigan: Obesity and Overweight - Your Child; May 2008
- KidsHealth.org: How Can I Lose Weight Safely?; February 2009
- Washington University in St. Louis; Study to Help Children Lose Weight and Maintain Weight Loss: Jim Dryden; Dec. 28, 2009
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