At one time when you heard the word "obesity", it was usually aimed at adults but sadly, it is now aimed at children. When an adult or child is obese, it can lead to arthritis, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and more. What has led to the increase in the number of cases of childhood obesity are their lack of physical activity and bad eating habits. With the invention of video games, some children only get exercise at school when they go to recess. In addition to video games, there is also television and surfing the internet and chatting with their friends online..
The first thing that you need to do is acknowledge that there is a problem with your children's weight. It is typical that many parents will deny that their child is overweight but denying it is not going to help their weight decrease. The first step is to acknowledge and understand that your child does have a problem. If the parents continue to ignore the problem then it will be hard for the child to be on a weight loss program without their support
Today most households have both parents working so when the child is old enough to stay by themselves after school they are usually hungry when they walk in the door. Instead of eating healthy, they might eat a peanut butter sandwich with lots of grape jelly, pizza rolls, or anything that is not healthy for them. When a child is obese or just overweight the parents need to make sure that they are all eating a well-balanced healthy diet and only keep healthy snacks in the house for when you are hungry and want a snack. Although most parents hate to admit that their child is obese or almost there it is time to start considering a weight loss program to help them lose weight.
The next thing is to motivate your child up away from the television and video games and out into the yard to play. If the child refuses to exercise or the parent does not make them then the child will continue to gain weight. Find a sport your child is interested in and get them signed up. The parents should also encourage them to take a bicycle ride or a short walk. In the evening after supper everyone in the family should take a walk, even if it is just around the block. When your child sees their parents going for a walk it could motivate them to go with you. If the child does not exercise then the weight loss program will not work as it should.
This article is penned by Lora Davis for Doctor's Weight Specialist. We are a Health center San Diego that helps people with a comprehensive weight loss program. Get real results with our custom, medically-designed program that is tailored to fit your body and your goals.