In the past 30 years obesity in children has more than doubled, and in adolescents has more than tripled.
Being overweight as a child has immediate health effects including risk factors for cardiovascular disease and pre-diabetes. They are also at greater risk of sleep apnea and joint problems as well as low self esteem.
The long term health effects include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis and cancer.
If your child is showing signs of being overweight you need to tread carefully. There is a fine line here between establishing a healthy lifestyle and causing your child to become obsessed with their weight. The latter can lead to further problems including eating disorders.
Rather than making this all about numbers forget about weighing scales and focus on leading by example by making lifestyle changes for the whole family.
Check out these weight loss tips for children to get them back on the right track.
1. Encourage healthy eating
Offer healthy food at mealtimes, and health snacks during the day. Don't have any junk food or sugary snacks and drinks in the house so there is no temptation for anyone to eat them.
Encourage your child to get involved in menu planning and cooking meals. Teach him the skills now to manage his own healthy diet and he's more likely to eat right as he grows up and leaves home.
2. Help them get active
If your child spends lots of time indoors reading or playing video games encourage them to get outside to play. Think about introducing them to a new sport, or just invest in some bikes and take family bike rides together. Spending time playing outside every day is not only good for their fitness, it also helps keep their bones healthy.
3. Be supportive
Be supportive and encourage your child to talk to you especially if they are being bullied at school because of their weight. Pay special attention to online social media sites too such as Facebook or Twitter in case your child is being cyber bullied.
4. Think about rewards
Make sure you don't use food as a reward. If your child gets an A in class treat them to a movie rather than taking them out for ice cream. Using food as a reward when they are little can lead to emotional eating issues as they grow up.
