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  Helping the Overweight Child
The Dos and Don'ts


Often times parents or other well meaning family members will become overly concerned about a child's weight. Before jumping the gun, be sure to read these common sense and healthy tips on dealing with the situation.

DON'T make the pudgy child feel bad about his/her being overweight. If your child is satisfied with her weight, and she is within 20% of the standard optimum weight, then leave her be.

DO remember that weight loss in growing children is not healthy. Diets are only recommended for extreme cases of obesity. Children need calories to grow and develop normally.

DO help your child grow into her current body weight through exercise and healthy eating. Keep her weight steady until she grows to the height appropriate for her weight. When that happens, your child's weight can increase to keep pace with normal growth.

DON'T force her to go on a diet to satisfy your own satisfaction. Diets are not natural for children. Since a diet inherently means foregoing feelings of hunger, it might be viewed as a form of punishment. Your child might think that there is really something wrong with her because she wants to eat more than what her parents want to give.

DO make exercise a regular part of family life. Get everyone involved in a variety of fun physical activities like swimming, throwing frisbees, jogging and skating.

DO encourage your kids to watch less television and play less video games. These activities encourage the couch potato mentality of parking bodies in front of the tube with a bag of chips and a can of cola for company. Your child will gain excess calories in no time with this tact.

DON'T deny the problem. If your child is getting concerned about her weight, then address it. Tell her what the potential problems are, what needs to be done, and help her through it.

DO encourage participation in organized sports be it at a school or in your community. Participation in sports activities not only helps build strong bodies, it also promotes social skills and boosts self-esteem.

DO watch for signs that her weight and appearance is affecting her performance in school and sports activities as well as peer relationships.

DON'T go blaming her either. Don't tell her she became fat because she likes to eat ice cream so much. Or that she gained so and so pounds because she sits on her butt all day. Your child is not the problem; it's her weight that is.

DO be a good role model. Being a role model does not only mean being physically fit, but it also means not obsessing about your weight all the time and making the right food choices.

DO help your child learn about healthy eating habits. Healthy eating is a matter of eating a balanced diet with foods rich in nutrients and moderate in calories.



More You Might Like:
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About the Author:
To find more health related articles visit our friends at DoctorGeorge.com



 
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