One out of three children in the U. S. is overweight or obese. It's a sad thing to see because overweight children are at risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bone and joint problems, and liver and gallbladder disease. They experience low self-esteem because of teasing, discrimination and rejection from their peers. Overweight children are more likely than children with healthy weight to develop eating disorders, sleep disorders and depression. Clearly, they need help.
The Problem
Although there are many possible causes, including underlying health problems and a genetic predisposition, the modern sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are clearly major culprits in the epidemic of obesity in children. KidsHealth.org says that modern children are less active and have more screen time -- television, computers and video games -- than previous generations. In addition, many families rely on fast food and convenience food rather than preparing nutritious food, often because they are simply too busy.
Helping an Overweight Elementary School Child
Because overweight children already experience rejection, it's important that they don't experience that at home as well. Rather than focusing on dieting and losing weight, which can make the child feel "wrong," focus on increasing activity and healthy eating. Overweight children will eventually grow into their weight as they get older and taller, so the important thing is not weight loss but learning new habits.
Increase Activity
Chances are if a child is overweight, there are other people in the family who also struggle with weight problems. Obesity is a family problem, and the entire family needs to learn new behaviors, not just the overweight child. Parents can become examples of healthy living. Don't just encourage children to exercise; instead, go with them and do it as a family. Keep them busy walking, hiking, playing in the yard, swimming, going to the park or the beach or bike riding.
Limit Screen Time
Limit television watching, working on the computer or playing video games to no more than two hours a day. Take the television and computer out of the child's bedroom. Involve children in household chores as well as exercise and games.
Improve Family Nutrition
As parents, you control what food comes into the house. Keep only healthy food in the house. Involve children in meal planning, helping them use the food pyramid so they can see how to make good choices. Don't reward or punish children with food, and don't eliminate all of their favorite treats. Eat dinner together as a family and make it enjoyable. Have plenty of fruit and cut-up vegetables available as snacks.
Take It Easy
Don't treat your child's obesity as an emergency. Let children know you love them and spend time with them doing activities they enjoy. Encourage children to keep food and exercise diaries and go over the diaries with them, giving a lot of praise and encouragement rather than focusing on the negative. It takes a long time and some effort to change an entire family's habits, so take it easy, one step at a time.
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