Steps You Can Take to Help an Overweight Child

Today, it is a fact that the percentage of people in Africa,Nigeria
especially who are overweight and those who are suffering from eating
disorders is rapidly on the rise and the sad thing is that many of
these people are our children. There are many parents who are totally
shocked when they witness their children eating largeamounts of food
and when they begin to put on extra pounds, they put the hammer down
on them to shed the excess weight. Most kids are naïve about the food
choices that they make, so as a parent it is our responsibility to
teach our children the importance of healthy eating instead of
criticizing them about what they eat all of the time.
If you are the parent of an overweight child there is no need to panic
because there are ways to encourage your child to lose those extra
pounds while at the same time not getting into a confrontation with
them all of thetime.
The first thing that you need to remember is to choose your words
carefully when you talk to your children about their eating habits as
harsh words can often have long-term effects on your child's health.
If you are constantlyharping or nagging at them about their eating,
this can cause them to suppress their emotions and keep them inside
and this is not a good thing for their well-being. The best thing that
you can do is to set a good example for them. If you want them to eat
certain foods such as vegetables, make sure that you enjoy them also
because it will be a lot easier to develop good eating habits in your
children if you possess them yourself.
You need to keep in mind that your overall goal is not a strict diet,
but a healthier lifestyle for your child. The key to success is
toproperly educate your child on healthy food choices and you do this
by making smart food choices for yourself in front of your children.
If your child constantly sees you scoffing up candy bars or eating a
gallon of ice cream and then you scold them for having an extra piece
of cake, they will become frustrated and may decide not to listen to
your advice any longer. Make surethat you also teach them the
importance of proper daily nutrition and the best time to do this is
not at the dinner table where they may feel pressured, but at a place
where they feel relaxed.
Do not force your child to exercise. Instead encourage themto
participate in things with you know that you know they enjoy and this
way you can get them moving. Invite them on a walk or challenge them
to a one on one game of basketball or ask them totake a bike ride with
you and these are all good forms of exercise. If your child is
sensitive about showing their body, choose activities that avoid this.
Try to get your child involved withplaying with other children in your
neighborhood. This is difficult for some kids especially if they have
been picked on by others because of their weight. Some kids are too
embarrassed toplay with other kids and this is a big issue for them
and you need to be respectful of this. If they are able to play with
others, this is a great way to build up their self-esteem and they
will respect you for doing this.
Last of all make sure that you do not force your child to eat less
because your child will not appreciate you constantly keeping at and
hovering over them. There are a lot of children who turn to eating for
comfort at a very young age and this is not a healthy thingfor them.
The key is to try to provide them with healthy alternatives that will
be better for them. Instead of eating potato chips, offer them popcorn
and when they are craving soda, offer them a fruit drink or smoothie.
Dealing with your child's weight problem will prove to be a challenge,
but when you approach it in a friendly way, your child will be much
more open to the idea and you can work together with them to hopefully
solve the weight problem once and for all.