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Obesity in Children and Adolescents

Posted by Admin on Sunday, March 14, 2010 - 04:34 AM

Obesity is affecting our children, causing them to live sad, unfulfilling lives because of their low self esteem and low motivation. Obesity in children is a major concern because it stops children from living normal lives, perusing their dreams, and being involved in activities. Children with obesity suffer greatly from low self esteem and between sixteen and thirty-three percent of children and teens are obese. So what can YOU do to stop it?

The first step in solving obesity in a child is to recognize its cause. Causes of obesity in a child can be family history of obesity, health problems, medical problems, depression, overeating, stress, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, family and peer problems, or medications. To determine the cause of your child’s obesity watch his or her habits.

The second step is to change bad eating habits. You, as the parent or guardian, by the food, so you monitor what the child consumes. Start buying more low fat items, make low fat meals for dinner, and stop buying unhealthy snacks! If your child eats lunch at school, start packing their lunch, or be sure they are eating healthy at lunch. Also, talk to your child about when he or she eats. Make sure he or she is not eating because they are upset or depressed. Also, talk to them about snacking, and how they should eat more at meal time so they are not hungry later for a snack.

The third step in solving child and teen obesity is getting them involved. There are many sports and activities available, let your son or daughter chose some that interest them. If they cannot choose one, let them experiment around to find one that they enjoy. It is important to get them involved in some time of physical activity so that they stay active. Plus there are many other benefits of being involved such as improving self esteem and making new friends.

If your son or daughter is having difficulty with these suggestions get him or her involved in a support group. There are many obesity support groups, but find one particularly for children. This will help your child know that they are not the only ones, and that it can be cured. Make sure you support them as well. Do not get angered at them if they won’t get off the computer or television and go play outside. Instead, ask your child, “Hey do you want to go to the park and play catch?” or “It is a nice day out, would like to go swimming?” Get involved in your child’s exercise if they do not feel comfortable with others. This will help them and it will get you active as well!

Be sure you are a supporter of your child because they will need it. Exercise with them, eat the same low fat foods as them, and be an overall good remodel for them. Do not force them to do things they want to do. If something needs to be done, simply explain to them how it will benefit them. Monitor your child closely and be sure he or she is not suffering from depression or stress. You can be a big part of your child’s happiness, high self esteem, and weight loss.