What should a parent do to improve the problem of childhood obesity?

Question

My brother's child is 9 years old and rapidly becoming obese. They have taken him to doctors and have even put him a special diet for a year. What can the parents do to help the situation?
Please help!
Thank you,
Tom

Answer 1

Feed the child healthy foods! Veggie with every meal.. poultry for the main intake of meats - beef is just too fattening, enough fresh fruits, all natural fruit juices and enough dairy in their diet. Desserts should consist of fruit salad or maybe not any desserts. Earlier dinners - encourage more outdoor play and not near as much TV or video games that are so typical in most kids. EXERCISE!!!

Answer 2

After medical issues have been checked and if nothing is found to be wrong, the best that can be done is to eat right and exercise a lot. At 9 years old, he could be in all types of sports. If he doesn't like sports, just get him moving, riding bikes, skateboarding, jogging, swimming, etc. It should just be some activity every single day. It can be fun and part of a bonding time with his dad. Hopefully, your brother can get things turned around quickly as being heavy is going to be tougher the older he gets. Kids can be cruel at times. One thing to do is to get the "bad" food out of the house. It's such a temptation if it is in the home and becomes the "forbidden fruit" making him desire it all the more.

Answer 3

It seems to be a growing problem, kids just don't go OUT and play like they did when I was young. The parents really should stick with healthy eating as well. It's not right to put your kid on a diet and then eat junk food. I realise that it's harder now a days with both parents working, but if they really want their son to lose weight, they need to cook FRESH healthy food and encourage the child to exercise. The whole family could go to the gym or engage in some sort of athletic sport. JMO.

Answer 4

First of all you need to only have healthy food in the house so the kids aren't tempted to eat junk. Also if your brother is a video game nut that needs to stop because he is getting no exercise. I make my kids got outside and play on nice days. They are not allowed to stay in and just sit in front of the TV. I will even go out and play with them so they know how good getting outside and moving around is for them. I allow snacks but only fruits. Actually I started it when they were babies and it has stayed with them. I was proud of my daughter when she went trick-or-treating when she was 3 there was a house that offered candy or fruit, my daughter picked fruit, I didn't even say anything to her it was all on her own. I do allow some treats but in moderation. Also water is better than any other fruit juices.

Answer 5

I used to be a little chubby until I was 12, when I had my growth spurt. Now I'm skinny, and I'm glad I am. 14 now.
If he is becoming seriously obese, I would try removing any type of drink from the house except fruit juices and water.
Enough with the kids meals, and the chicken fingers at restaurants. Show him to eat right.
And if he cries for soda, 1 cup a day is enough. If he drinks it, nothing else to drink but water the rest of the day.

Answer 6

The more of an issue is made of food, the more it becomes an issue. I was a heavy child. I had my toncils out at 3 1/2, and and that activated a thyroid condition. By my 4th birthday I had gained almost 20 lbs. The doctor tried talking to me, belittling me, scaring me, and my mother cried, my father yelled, and when I started kindergarten the other kids made fun of me. The more I was made to feel bad about food, the more I wanted it. My sisters scarfed down food all day, and I had to sit there and watch them eat it. Then sometimes my mother would feel so bad for me that she'd creep upstairs at night with goodies in her apron pockets to try to sooth my hurt feelings. I think if everyone in my family ate healthy, we were given fruit to snack on, and if portions had been more controlled, it would have been just natural to eat properly. Everyone's body is different, and so is their activity level. If your brother's whole family just focused on eating healthy and having healthy snacks available, and making sure your nephew got lots of exercise (just in a natural way with the rest of the family or encouragement to go out and play, and not stay in the house watching t.v. or playing video games), I think there'd be a big difference. The day will come when he just grows taller, and if he doesn't increase his calorie intake when that happens, he'll naturally lose weight. I wish him the very best! The important thing is that he needs to feel good about himself so he'll want the best for himself.

Answer 7

get off the couch. turn off the t.v. and all electronics (unplug them and throw them away or sell them), and go outside and play! PLAY! PLAY! PLAY! childhood obesity wasn't a problem 20 years ago but the diet 20 years ago was the same as it is today. the only difference is that children have become sedentary. and very lazy! they don't play outside anymore. it's all about electronics, computers, video games, and t.v. all day long. so children just sit and grow (literally). kids should be active and involved in sports, playing outside with the neighborhood kids, riding bikes, etc. this will solve america's childhood obesity problem.

Answer 8

Don't feed him or her junk food all the time. Don't give them soda. Don't have junk food or soda in the house and don't take them out to eat to fast food places all the time. Make sure they get lots of milk, fruits and vegetables and get at least 2-3 servings from each of the 5 food groups a day. Make sure they eat nothing but healthy food and don't put a TV or video game console in their rooms. Make them play outside when the weather is good. Lots of exercise. Force them to play a sport after school so they get excerise every day.

Answer 9

considering the fact that he's so youthful, choose for stretching relatively than dropping weight. My 12 12 months previous son is an identical weight that he became whilst he became 9 years previous and is now 6 inches taller! i became careful to no longer placed him on formal diets and by no ability criticized him for being obese. I in basic terms did no longer shop any junk food interior the abode and cooked him proper nutrition. He now and returned eats goodies or chips as quickly as we are out yet that's in basic terms now and returned. I easily tried to no longer make an excellent deal out of his weight subject and tried to make ameliorations that he did no longer be conscious. He now works out on the wellness center with my daughter and myself simply by fact he does no longer enjoy group activities. additionally, my daughter and myself worked stressful to verify that his hair became combed and that his outfits regarded superb. He now has a lots greater advantageous self photograph. stable success and that i'm hoping this enables. P.S. tell insensitive serious kin and associates to close up!

Answer 10

No processed foods. Fruits, vegtables, (contrary to popular belief) all meats, and whole grains. Light to moderate exercise to start. It isn't as difficult as people make it out to be. However, with young children it should be a family affair, that may help keep resentment and unfair feelings from becomming an issue.