I'm putting my step daughter on a diet.Can you tell me where i can look for information on children dieting?

Answer 1

Hi, I'm assuming you've taken all the appropriate steps to ensure your stepdaughters health will be improved by her losing weight and getting healthy.

Try these sights:

www.webmd.com/diet/helping-your-child-lose-weight

www.pennhealth.com/health_info/weightloss/weight_child.html

Or google child weight loss diet.

Answer 2

Instead of putting her on a diet, teach her an alternative life style that includes a healthy balance of proper nutrition and exercise. If possible make the changes a family event, make exercise fun and talk to your step daughter's doctor to be sure she's in good health and is getting proper nutrition.

I came across a website www.45pounds.com that chronicles a family that lost weight together over the course of a year and then kept it off. It's pretty inspiring but your first step should be to talk to your pediatrician.

Answer 3

Children shouldn't diet, as a general rule. Obsessing over their eating habits is a good way to teach them horrible life lessons about nutrition and body image.

If you're concerned about it, talk to her doctor.....not a bunch of anonymous weirdos on the internet.

Answer 4

Why are you putting your step-daughter on a diet. Have you talked with her Doctor? You should start first, otherwise you can do a lot of damage to her body.

Answer 5

before you put her on a diet, make sure it really is a health issue, and not one of aesthetics. note that these sites dont encourage a specific meal plan (like The Zone 4kidz) , but a general diet of balanced meals (this means no more cheetos as a snack). that said, i think you will find these sites helpful:
http://www.stlouischildrens.org/tabid/56/itemid/3492/Power-Your-Childs-Diet.aspx

http://www.pamf.org/children/common/nutrition/diet.html


http://www.eartwiggles.com/

Answer 6

Noone should diet, especially not children. Just make sure she is eating well balanced meals

Answer 7

Take her off ALL softdrinks and put her on water,fruit Juice and V-8...no sodas at ALL!!..thats prob all she needs

Answer 8

i think it's best to talk to her doctor.

Answer 9

Maybe there is another way..



One of the worst things you can do to "help" your child lose weight is to put her on a diet. Coping with a weight problem is likely to be a lifelong challenge, and at best, dieting is a short-term solution. More often, it is the first step of what will become a self-defeating cycle. Temporary changes in eating habits can only bring about temporary weight loss. Even after successfully losing weight, the typical dieters can expect to regain all of the lost weight within one year -plus an additional fifteen pounds of bonus weight. To achieve permanent weight loss, kids must learn to make permanent changes in their lifestyles.
For kids, dieting is risky business. Their rapidly growing bodies depend on an adequate number of calories on a daily basis for proper development. Placing your child on a low-calorie or very low-fat diet may deprive her of the nutrients she needs at a critical time in her life, and it may even jeopardize her health.

Low-calorie diets are dangerous for another reason. Weight that is rapidly lost comes primarily from the body's muscle tissue rather than fat deposits. It's an unfortunate phenomenon, but it's inevitable. Muscle tissue is a metabolic inferno, and it churns up a lot of calories, even while the body is at rest. Body fat, on the other hand, is metabolically comatose. Even during strenuous exercise, body fat burns very few calories. If children lose even a pound or two of their precious muscle tissue on a low-calorie diet, they'll end up needing fewer calories each day than they did before the diet.

While weight-loss diets are physically harmful to growing children, they can also inflict some serious emotional damage. Strict diets are likely to create feelings of deprivation in children, and these feelings can eventually lead to overeating and binge eating.

Instead of putting your child on a low-calorie diet, your best bet is to show her how to eat properly. Teach her about the nutritional values of different foods and how to design a nutritious, well-balanced meal. If your child simply masters the art of eating the way she should be eating, dieting really isn't necessary. As your child become more active and continues to grow, she'll gradually lose her excess weight


The Bottom Line Encourage the entire family to eat healthy foods and to be physically active.

The subject of putting your child on a diet can be a touchy issue. Many people do not want to admit that their child is obese, or they fear that putting them on a diet will hurt the child's self esteem. With the proper family support, it is possible for your child to maintain a healthy weight.

How do I know if my child should be put on a diet?
This is an issue that should be discussed with your pediatrition. However I will offer these rough guidelines:

For children under 3: weight loss is not usually recommended. Instead, parents are encouraged to maintain the childs current weight, or gain weight at a slower rate. This allows the child to "grow into" their weight.

For older children: if your child's BMI is above the 95th percentile for their age, they are considered overweight. Lifestyle should also be taken in to consideration. A child whose large size interferes with normal physical activity is considered overweight.

This website will calculate your child's BMI: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm
Percentile BMI charts can be found at:
Girls-www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/set1clinical/CJ41L024.pdf
Boys-www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/set1clinical/CJ41L023.pdf

Issues for overweight children
It is becoming increasingly obvious that obesity carries health risks even in children. Rates of depression are higher than in normal weight children. Overweight children are likely to become overweight adults, in which they will be subject to the adult risks.

Overweight children also show risk factors for coronary artery disease. Of children and teens who fall in the 95th percentile for their BMI, 60% have one risk factor for heart disease. An additional 20% have two or more risk factors.

Children who are overweight are often teased and may suffer from low self esteem.

Be supportive
Managing your child's weight should be a family effort. Do not single the child out by giving them different foods than the rest of the family, denying them treats, or pushing them to exercise alone. This will only alienate them and hurt their feelings. Instead, use the opportunity to help the entire family develop healthier habits.

In fact, if it is possible I suggest approaching the issue by announcing that the whole family needs better habits, instead of focusing specifically on the overweight child.

Starting your child on a healthy diet
Give them better food, not less food
Empty your cupboards of junk foods. Keep healthier snacks like fruit, frozen juice bars, and lowfat yogurt on hand.

Include vegetables and lean meats in meals, and try to use less fat when you prepare meals. Serve meals restaurant-style: give your family soup or salad (with low-cal dressing) before the main dish. This will help fill them up and reduce any tendencies to overeat.

Watch what your children drink. Do you know that if you drink one soft drink every day for a year, you drink enough calories to gain ten pounds? Try to switch to skim milk, tea, water or diet sodas. Check the label on fruit drinks - some are healthy, but others contain as many calories (and as few vitamins) as soft drinks.

Encouraging an active lifestyle
Children normally engage in a lot of activity, so it is often easier to get a child up and moving than it would be with an adult.

Encourage them to play with friends who are naturally very active. Even if your child ignores your attempts to help them exercise, what child can resist running when another kid says "race ya" or "last one to the car is a rotten egg"?

See if your child is interested in a sports program. Even if your child does not want to do competitive team sports, there are still options. Watch what your children imitate from TV and movies. Maybe they enjoy dancing, imitate wrestlers, or pretend to perform karate kicks after they see it on TV. Karate (or other self-defense type classes) may be more appealing than you would expect, especially for children who are teased a lot or are afraid of other children at school.

Do activities together as a family. Go to the beach in the summer, or sledding in the winter. Take bike rides together, or toss the ball in the backyard with your child.

If you pay attention, you may find many small opportunites where you discourage exercise. For example, if your child is running down the hall would you say "Stop running in the house" instead of "Take it outside"?

Choose gifts for you child carefully. Buy toys that encourage activity, and clothes and shoes that will be comfortable to move around in. If you must buy video games, buy only one at a time so they get bored with it more quickly.

TV and Video Games
You've heard it before but I'll repeat it anyway: limit the amount of time your child can watch TV and video games. Studies have shown that people who watch the most TV are also the least active.

Don't Be Too Obsessive
While it is important to help your child maintain a healthy weight, it is equally important to maintain a healthy attitude. If you are too fatalistic about every failure, your child will be too. There are times when the best intentions backfire. A child may become resistant to any attempts to help them lose weight; or they could go to the other extreme and be at risk for an eating disorder.


http://www.epinions.com/content_2201395332
http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/18/101912.htm

If you are still considering..
http://www.45pounds.com/child.html


Good Luck!.. Hope this information helps.