Help Children Develop Healthy Habits that will Last a Lifetime

One in every five children in the United States is overweight, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Stopping or preventing children from being overweight can help children maintain a healthy weight as an adult.

The goal for children is to maintain weight or slow the rate of weight gain allowing for normal growth in height.

The foundation of a child’s body image and weight is through the child’s family. Experts recommend not focusing attention toward the weight, but rather focus on improving the entire family’s eating habits while increasing the amount of daily physical activity by all family members. Avoid the use of such strategies as calorie restrictions and rigid dietary rules. Listed below are some practical tips for families to be healthy and maintain a healthy weight:
• Keep meals and snacks relaxed and com- fortable. Do not overemphasize or control food with your children. Take the focus off the food; avoid using food as a punishment or reward. Talk with your child about healthy eating not dieting.
• Serve portions appropriate to each fam- ily member’s age and activity level.
Help your child to learn to eat when he
or she is hungry and to stop when feeling satisfied.
• Prepare and eat more meals at home. Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables at home. Involve family members in growing and preparing foods. Limit eat- ing out and choose restaurants with healthy options.
• Be a role model. Parents are the most significant role model for their children. Demonstrate a healthy and active life style for your child.
• Build self-esteem. Children are more likely to make healthy changes when they feel good about themselves. Pres suring a child to lose weight is not
effective and can lower self-esteem. Compliment your child or adolescent
on accomplishments not related to weight or body size.
• Increase physical activity. Make activity a routine part of the day for each family member. Avoid restricting physical
activity as a punishment. Make physical activity a part of family time. Support recreational activities and team sports for your child.
• Limit sugar-sweetened drinks. Offer water as the standard beverage and thirst quencher. Limit soda and sugar-sweet- ened beverages available at home. Provide low-fat (one percent or less) milk for family members above the age of two. Limit 100% juice to eight to twelve ounces for seven to eighteen year-olds.
• Limit TV and video time. Aim for no more than one to two hours a day. Place televisions in common areas of the home. Encourage active play as an alternative to TV and video games.