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8 ways to ward off childhood obesity

8 ways to ward off childhood obesity

Over the last 30 years, the rate of obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents, making it a serious concern for parents and communities. Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being, and puts children at a higher risk for developing many medical conditions, as well as social issues like poor self-esteem and bullying.

So, what causes childhood obesity?

  • Poor eating habits
  • Power struggles between a parent and child regarding food
  • Prevalence of snacking, and oversized portion sizes
  • Not enough physical activity

Healthy Tips

Encourage healthier behaviors in your children with these tips.

  1. Focus on health, not weight. Teach children to balance what they consume with their activity level.
  2. Provide healthy meals and snacks, including a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and set structured eating times. Let your child decide what they eat and how much.
  3. Focus on your child’s dietary intake over a week versus just one day. You’re looking for balance.
  4. Involve children in food shopping, prepping and cooking to teach them about the foods they eat.
  5. Encourage healthy beverage choices. Offer water or low-fat milk, and avoid sodas and other sweetened beverages. Try making a fruit-infused water beverage with your child to explore new flavors.
  6. Encourage children to be more physically active. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, children and adolescents should get at least 60 minutes of activity, five days per week. If possible, be active as a family. Take a walk, go bike riding after dinner, plan a weekend hike, or have your child get involved in organized sports.
  7. Limit the use of electronic devices and TV watching. Try aiming for no more than one hour per day to reduce the time in which kids are sedentary.
  8. The most important thing you can do is be a role model. When you choose to eat healthy and be more physically active, your child will be more likely to make those choices too. Try not to single any children out; instead, get the entire family to eat healthier and do more physical activity. This way the whole family will benefit and be on their way to a healthier lifestyle.