Is Your Child Obese? 2 Tips To Help Them Lose Weight

If your child is currently obese, this can be very dangerous for their health. For example, they have more of a chance to have high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. If they don't lose weight, this could also lead to obesity when they are an adult. This can also cause psychological problems with your child, such as if they are teased at school. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help your child get down to the weight they are supposed to be at, two of which are listed below.

Talk with a Pediatrician

The most important thing you can do is to consult with your child's pediatrician. They can go over with you in detail all the health risks that are caused by weight gain so you can understand them better. They can also talk with your child about this. What they say will depend on how old your child is.

The pediatrician will run many tests to make sure there is not something wrong that is causing the weight gain. They will also make sure your child does not have any health risks now. The pediatrician can get you in touch with a nutritionist in your area to help you set up a diet plan for your child, as well as some tips on how they can get exercise. Your pediatrician may want to see your child on a regular basis to keep an eye on their health until they start getting down to the right weight.

Changes You Should Make

You need to make some changes in your house to help your child. Go through all your cabinets and refrigerator and throw out all high calorie foods, such as potato chips, candy, sodas, high calorie cereal, and more.  Replace these foods with healthy fruits and vegetables. If your child does not like vegetables, experiment with different kinds of dips. For example, cut up some carrots and let your child dip them in ranch dressing. Your child may also like yogurt based dressings, salsa, and hummus.

Your child should start out each day with a good breakfast, which helps them have more energy throughout the day and helps them eat healthier. Eggs are a great food for your child to eat, as well as whole wheat pancakes or waffles, fruit smoothies, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

Do not signal out your child on these food changes and do not tell your child they are on a diet. Instead, tell them your entire family is going to start eating healthier.

Take time to play with your child everyday so they can get some exercise. For example, you could play kickball outside or a simple game of tag. Let your child join a sports team in your area or go on walks and bike rides with them. Even if they eat healthy, they still need to exercise to lose weight.

For more information, contact local professionals like Willow Oak Pediatrics.