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Do’s and don’ts of parenting an overweight child
By SUZANNE KENNEDY
According to some studies, as
many as one-third of American
children are overweight. The best
way to determine if your child
is one of them is to schedule an
appointment with their pediatri-
cian. The doctor can explain the
growth chart, point out acceptable
percentages, and
determine if there are
underlying medical
issues.
If you fi nd your
child’s weight isn’t
healthy, approach the
subject lightly and
with love: “I really
love you and I want
you to be healthy.”
Then discuss ways to
be healthier, including
exercise and an im-
proved diet. In many
cases, the goal should
not be to lose weight,
but to create healthy habits.
Finding success
Get the whole family involved.
If the whole family doesn’t change
their habits, one child in it won’t
either.
Ge ng at least an hour of exer-
cise per day is the best way to get to
a healthy weight. Overweight kids
don’t need to do more exercise than
slimmer children. They will naturally
burn more calories for the same ac-
vity. Play games together like tag,
bike riding, or catch. If the weather
isn’t coopera ng, consider trying
ac vity-based video games, like Wii.
Be er yet, do chores together.
Enroll children in a er-school
sports or other ac vi es. Growing
up, I always had to do one sport
(like soccer or ballet) and one other
ac vity like scouts or 4-H.
Turn off the TV, computer,
phone, and tablet. No more than
1-2 hours a day on a screen.
Make sure your child gets
“Assisting people to become
independent, healthy and safe.”
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enough sleep.
Reduce por on sizes, and
read packages. Start with smaller
amounts of food and let your child
ask for more if he or she is s ll hun-
gry. If your child chooses food from
a package, read the nutri on label
to see what amount is equal to one
serving, and then give them that
one serving.
Put healthy foods
within easy reach and just
stop buying the junk. If
you do pick up a bag of
chips, split it into snack-
sized bags according to
the suggested por oning.
Limit fast food to once
or twice per month.
Schedule meal and
snack mes. When a child
knows food is coming at a
certain me, they’re less
likely to graze in front of
the pantry.
Eat only at the table …
not on the couch or bed.
Be posi ve and suppor ve.
Reward successes with praises and
hugs, not cookies and candy.
Limit juice, soda, and coff ee
drinks. Instead of soda, off er your
child sparkling water with a twist of
lime.
Make breakfast a priority. Chil-
dren who eat breakfast are less
likely to be overweight or obese
than those who skip the fi rst meal
of the day. It’s important to focus
on healthy choices, though, instead
of sugary cereals, donuts, or toaster
pastries.
Involve them in meal planning
and preparing. Working together
with measuring cups and spoons is
a great me to teach about por on
sizes.
Nutrition
What to avoid
Don’t try to have a “big talk.”
If your child comes to you, don’t
make a big deal about it. Listen and
let them guide the conversa on.
Don’t be the food police. Instead
of “Do you really need another
piece?” try “Is there room in your
stomach for more?” This teaches
the child to self-regulate.
Don’t ban sweets en rely.
Instead, limit the amount of good-
ies your child eats and introduce
fruit-based snacks. Banning items
can lead to hoarding food and even
ea ng disorders later on.
Don’t make your child fi nish
everything on the plate. Plate the
food before you bring it to the table
rather than bringing pla ers of
food to the table. Eat slowly.
Where to go for help
If all this doesn’t work, ask your
child’s doctor about other op ons.
He or she may be able to recom-
mend a plan for healthy ea ng
and physical ac vity, or refer you
to a weight-management special-
ist, registered die an or program.
Your local health department also
may off er weight-management
programs for children and teens or
informa on about where you can
enroll in one.
________
Suzanne Kennedy is a former
middle school teacher who lives in
Pendleton with her husband and
three children.