We are hearing a lot about childhood obesity and teen weight issues. Body image is a major concern for many teens, especially teen girls. According to CDC this is the first generation of kids that may not have the life expectancy that generations prior have. Whether it is the increase of computer/video games combined with the lack of exercise or the unhealthy fast food, obesity is a growing concern.
Source: Connect with Kids
Should Parents Put A Kid On A Diet?
“Don’t comment on your child’s food intake – good or bad. So if you are saying, ‘Don’t eat that,’ ‘Don’t eat this,’ ‘Stop eating so much of this,’ ‘You can’t possibly be hungry,’ that goes back to we as parents doing some judging around our children’s behavior.”
– Beth Passehl, Program Coordinator, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Obesity trends among American kids are weighing heavily. Michelle Obama has been in the news with her new Let’s Move campaign to promote healthy eating and healthy living. But when it comes to kids and weight loss, what’s the best strategy? Perhaps you’d like your child to lose a few pounds, but worry about hurt feelings if you bring up the topic. It’s a dilemma for many parents.
Rochelle James, for example, wondered what to say to her 11-year-old daughter Maya.
A few months ago, the family pediatrician said that Maya was a borderline diabetic.
“I was thinking, ‘Uh oh, I might be the next person to pass away from diabetes,’” says Maya. “My grandmother, she was a diabetic and she had passed away. So I didn’t want to be like her.”
Maya admits she was making bad choices.
“Well, sometimes I would just like lay around or just eat and watch TV.”
At dinner, her mom would nag her about eating too much.
“She would go up to the oven and kind of look back like, ‘I know you are going to say something.’ And I felt bad,” says Rochelle.
But nagging kids to eat less or exercise more can backfire.
“There are some definite don’ts for parents,” says Beth Passehl, a family coach and program coordinator at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “Don’t comment on your child’s food intake – good or bad. So if you are saying, ‘Don’t eat that,’ ‘Don’t eat this,’ ‘Stop eating so much of this,’ ‘You can’t possibly be hungry,’ that goes back to we as parents doing some judging around our children’s behavior.”
What can you do instead?
“You might want to talk to the child first and ask them if they have ever been teased about their weight,” explains Passehl.
If the answer is yes, your child may be motivated to change.
“Approach your child and say there are some things about our family in general that are not very healthy,” says Passehl, “We are having too much television time. We are going to work on watching less TV and spending more time together getting healthier.”
She says a child won’t make healthier choices unless the rest of the family does too.
So Maya’s family went to a class at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where they all learned to eat right, exercise, and avoid diabetes.
“I used to feel like I was lazy or like I was kind of sloppy,” says Maya. “But now I just feel like I have a boost of energy.”
What Parents Need To Know
More than 25 million American children are obese or at risk for becoming obese. Just what is obesity? The ratio of a person’s weight to height is known as body mass index, or BMI, which estimates how much body fat you have. Children with a BMI at or higher than the 95th percentile (for their age) are considered obese. Children with a BMI at or higher than the 85th percentile are considered overweight. Today, almost 20 percent of kids ages 6 to 19 are overweight.
How can you calculate your child’s BMI? It’s best to consult with your child’s pediatrician. That way, you’ll know the number is accurate and your doctor can discuss the result with you. To calculate BMI on your own, try an online BMI calculator.
For some kids, the doctor may recommend losing some weight, but this should be done with the doctor’s help. If you need a little help, don’t be afraid to ask. There may be a dietitian, nutritionist or counselor available to provide additional advice and plan meals. Kids need a variety of healthy foods to keep their bodies growing properly. Diets that don’t include a variety of nutritious foods, or have too few calories, can be dangerous for kids.
Parents can try these healthy-eating strategies:
- Eat meals at regular, routine times and eat as a family. If your child can’t count on a regular mealtime, he may overeat at one meal, or snack on fattening foods between meals. Irregular eating keeps him from “tuning in” to his body’s natural cues for hunger and satisfaction. Do not skip meals – and make sure your kids eat breakfast. Research shows most people who have lost more than 60 pounds, and kept it off for six years, eat breakfast.
- Make sure healthy food choices are available in your household refrigerator and cabinets. Do not make your family give up foods they love. Instead, find healthier ways to prepare these foods. For example, frozen French fries can be baked instead of fried. Cheesecake or macaroni and cheese can be made with a low-fat cheese. Take a cooking class to get your family excited about healthy recipes.
- Be a good role model for your children when it comes to making healthy food choices. Be aware of portion sizes.
- Do not use food as a reward – ever.
- Don’t overcook vegetables; this is probably the main reason why children (and adults) don’t eat enough of them. Raw is sometimes best.
- Do not allow children to think that every outing, every activity, every thing they do, must be accompanied by a high calorie snack.
- Educate yourself so that when your children do ask for particular foods, you can explain your answer. Check out the fat and sodium content. Be ready with other suggestions when your child asks you to buy something which you don’t think is a good idea. Bring the kids shopping sometimes, teach them to read labels, and involve them in decision making.
- Plant a vegetable garden. Let your children choose which plants will be theirs to take care of. Most children will happily eat the things they have grown and picked themselves.
- Even though you may be very concerned about your child’s weight, be careful about how you express your worry. Your child already knows there is a problem if there is one, and doesn’t need anyone to make him or her feel worse about it. Children grow up as well as out. Many children do not need to lose weight. They just need to stop gaining weight. Spend a little time learning about growth curves, and your own family’s health history.
- Get your family to participate in physical activity on a regular basis – even if it is just walking around the block after dinner. Be aware of the time spent in front of the television and computer.
- Once your kids reach a certain age, you really can’t control what they eat outside the house. But you can set the example in a number of ways. Make sure that your kids know what you think about nutrition and various food issues.
Resources
- Children’s Healthcare of AtlantaBe Smart, Be Well
- Let’s Move
- U.S. Department of Agriculture My Pyramid
- Empower MeKids Health from Nemours
- Kids Healthy BMI Calculator
Read more about Food Revolution and your school cafeteria - click here.
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THE SECRETS TO SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN YOUR TEENS, by Lori Hanson
Award-Winning Author of “It Started with Pop-Tarts (R)”, Lori Hanson, wrote an amazing very quick and easy read parent and teen book. What I loved about this book is it was written in a fashion that addresses some serious issues that teens face today, however in a condensed and easy to understand format.
I literally finished it in less than 2 hours (with many interruptions) and was very impressed how Lori both talked to teens and parents – almost at the same time – and you could feel that Lori is connecting.
I recommend any parents of teens today purchase this book and share it with their teen. What a great way to start communications – since today many parents have lost that connection with many teens.
Oh, did I mention Lori incorporates her dogs (Sasha and Yagger) as analogies – absolutely fantastic – we all love dogs and to see them and their actions helping us as parents to understand human behavior was brilliant and again, something we can all relate to.
You can purchase this book here. Don’ miss it! Get it before it hits the book stores!
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I just read the most lovely and educational book called Grumble Bluff by Karen Bessey Pease. This tale tells of two young girls in that difficult and awkward stage of tweens – one is overweight and one has a horrific and painful situation she is living with. Both are bullied and teased relentlessly. Even reading how some kids are so mean made me feel so sad and angry on the inside.
If you are a parent of a teen or tween – buy this book today – read it and have your child read it. You will feel warm inside at the end and then anxious for the second book. Kathy and Greta (characters) will become part of your family too – and what a great way to open lines of communication between you and your kids.
Synopsis:
In the serenity of Grumble Bluff, the girls discover the power of their friendship; how to triumph over the tragedies of life, and how to laugh again.
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