DON’T IGNORE YOUR CHILD’S OR TEEN’S WEIGHT PROBLEM June 11, 2009

Children that are overweight probably know better than anyone else that they have a weight problem. As parents we should always be on the lookout for signs of excessive eating or inadequate amounts of exercise in our children. Kids feelings about themselves are often based on how they think their parents feel about them.

The study confirms that parents’ excess body weight is a strong and positive predictor of child overweight and obesity. Obese adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults and they have an increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea (interrupted breathing while asleep that can result in daytime lethargy or even death), reduced lifespan and some forms of cancer.

Though parents love their children equally, it’s not unusual for them to discover they need to soothe hurt feelings and rebuild damaged self-esteem more often in their overweight children. As parents we want the best for our kids .

Overweight children and teens may feel uncomfortable about participating in certain activities. They might experience significant social discrimination, which can lead to poor self- esteem, depression and a diminished ability to function well in school. Overweight children and teen’s struggle in school, have lowered expectations for their future, have troubling relationships with peers and adults, exhibit more high-risk behavior, and are even more misunderstood by their own families. Many obese teens use food to numb their pain, remember, in order to get healthy they need to confront what’s hurting them.

In most cases, overweight children are probably affected by a number of factors including genetics, lifestyle habits, and food choices. By helping overweight children to limit weight gain as they grow taller, parents can prevent their kids from developing some very serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Sometimes, instead of losing weight, it’s easier for overweight children to stop gaining weight while they allow their bodies to “grow into” their weight, the goal is to reduce their rate of weight gain.

Many overweight children already show abnormal levels of liver enzymes, and fully one-third suffer from fatty liver, a condition in which the organ becomes streaked with fat. If parents do not control, this number of childhood obesity, teen obesity and overweight children will grow significantly in near future. Poor nutrition, the abundance and popularity of packaged and fast foods, availability of indoor entertainment, social and environmental pressures, and a lack of physical activity and fewer organized outdoor sports all contribute to tendencies in overweight children.

Doctors and other health care professionals often use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to determine if someone is overweight. Doctors consider a teen obese when his or her BMI number is higher than the BMI numbers of 95% of other teens the same age and gender

Healthy eating tips:

Encourage your children to eat when hungry and to eat slowly. Depending on your child’s BMI, age, and health, the doctor may refer you to a registered dietitian for additional advice and, possibly, may recommend a comprehensive weight management program.

Get your kids involved by letting them help you plan and prepare healthy meals, and take them along when you go grocery shopping so they can learn how to make good food choices. Serve a variety of healthy foods and eat meals together as often as possible. Eating too much and exercising too little may lead to overweight and related health problems that may follow children into their adult years.

Don’t let your child skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast can leave your child hungry, tired, and looking for less healthy foods later in the day. It is up to you to provide your child with healthy meals and snacks, but your child should be allowed to choose how much food he or she will eat. Encourage her to quench her thirst with water or sugar free squash.

Remember not too restrict calories and instead, offer a healthy diet with 3 healthy meals (don’t skip meals, especially breakfast) and a few snacks, and allow occasional treats.