Is your child obese and do not know how to help him? Unfortunately, the number of children suffering from this health problem increases more every day. Making them aware of their state, but without dramatizing is the key to start helping them. Know in this article how to treat and deal with an obese child efficiently.
As you should know, children need a certain amount of calories to grow and develop properly. But, as in the case of adults, if you consume more calories than you use, your body will store them as fat.
In other times, there was a myth that chubby children were healthier than thin children, but this of course is totally wrong. Currently, worldwide, we are seeing a very large increase in childhood obesity , motivated by experts in nutrition, poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle.
But, you may be wondering how can you help an obese child? Take note of the next tips.
How to contain and help an obese child
- Help him maintain a healthy diet. A balanced diet rich in healthy and nutritious foods can help your child achieve and maintain a healthy weight. If you cultivate good eating habits as a child, they will continue to benefit you until you are an adult. Visit a nutritionist doctor, since he can advise you to elaborate a dietary plan according to the age and activities that your child performs. An ideal infant diet has to have 15% protein, 25% fat and 60% carbohydrates.
- Encourage him to do physical activities. This aspect is essential to burn calories. The ideal is that you prepare a plan of activities and exercises, but do not force it to do them if one day you do not want to, because the only thing you will achieve is that you hate them. Discover what sports you like the most and encourage your hobby.
- Do not ridicule him with his problem. Maybe sometimes, without wanting family and friends can play jokes and ridicule for their overweight. But, these can generate feelings of devaluation and low esteem and so that you can lose weight it is necessary that you help him to reinforce his self-esteem. Teasing can make you feel bad with your body and feel isolated. These feelings can interfere with your personal relationships and your ability to learn.
- Do not get mad if you insist on eating goodies. Or any other food that fattens. Let him eat one, but warn him that if he eats more he will get fat again.
- Teach him what are the consequences of being overweight. Try to make him see that being chubby can cause some health problems.
Other ways to treat obesity and overweight in your children
If you think you need more tools to help your child who is overweight, I recommend that you read carefully the articles in the following list, which will surely be very useful for you.
- Physical activities for childhood obesity. You will know a series of exercises and recreational activities that will encourage your child to get moving, helping him burn calories in this way.
- Diets for overweight children. You will discover which foods are the most suitable to include in your child’s diet, so that he stays well fed, but that in turn helps him lose weight.
- Tips to prevent a child from being overweight. You will know a series of guidelines related to lifestyle, so that you have in mind when it comes to preventing a child from becoming obese.