Ten Tips to Help Minimize the Risk of Obesity in Children
The "Ten Tips for Parents" appeared in the January 7, 2001 issue of Parade Magazine in an article
"When Kids Are Too Fat" by Dianne Hales.
It's front-page news; obesity is a problem for both young children and adults in America.
Being obese, (more than 25% over the normal standards for height and weight for your age)
carries huge health risks. The prevention of obesity is a key to better health for children
as they grow into adolescence and adulthood.
The following ten tips make good sense for parents to follow to help minimize the risks
for raising an overweight child.
- DON'T USE FOOD AS A REWARD or a means of shaping behavior. Ask yourself if a
child is hungry for something emotional, rather than food.
- FOCUS ON HEALTH RATHER THAN WEIGHT. The most successful
approaches focus on feeling better, stronger and more energetic rather than on a target weight.
- DON'T BAN ANY FOOD. Let kids keep foods they "can't give up"
in a junk-food drawer for an occasional treat.
- TAKE CHARGE. Don't turn over food decisions to kids. It's the parents' responsibility to provide healthy meals.
- WATCH PORTION SIZE. A good rule-of-thumb for young children is 1 tablespoon of food on the plate for each year of age.
- LIMIT SODA AND JUICE. Kids are much better off eating fruit than drinking juice.
- ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE in one sport each season. Also provide opportunities for informal forms of activity,
such as Rollerblading or dancing.
- TURN OFF THE TELEVISION. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting TV time to less than
two hours a day.
- AVOID QUICK FIXES. Weight-loss pills, potions and diets may not be safe for growing children.
- NEVER SAY DIET. Aim for permanent changes in food intake and a gradual weight loss of half-pound to a pound a week.