Obese Kids, Prevention for Life
Obese kids struggle from infancy all the way through life. Being overweight or obese is not fun for anyone, whether they are an infant or an adult. Not only does being overweight or obese take a toll on your self esteem, hurting you emotionally, but it also physicals ails you.
Being overweight or obese can be detrimental for your health, leaving you at a higher risk for chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Be this as it may, there are ways in which you can prevent one from becoming overweight or obese, and at any age.
The dangers of childhood obesity is overwhelming so if you would like to prevent weight gain for you or a loved one then please, continue reading. Below are some ways in which you can prevent weight gain for all ages.
Preventing Obese Kids from Birth to 1 Year:
Because of how young the child is at this stage, there is not much you can do to prevent weight gain. However, there has been evidence linked to the fact the breast fed babies tend to be less likely to become overweight than those who are not breast fed. To aid in the prevent of obesity, breast feed your child.
Preventing Obese Kids from Age 2 to 6 Years:
The child is still very young at this age, but also very easily influenced so it is a prime time to start setting good examples for you child and to start installing healthy habits into their minds. It’s not too early to familiarize your child with the healthy food pyramid.
Offer them a variety of foods (plenty of fruits and vegetables in particular) so that you can see what they like and dislike. You should also try to keep them active. Do not wear them out, but take them on trips to the park regularly or enroll them in some dance classes or sports teams.
Preventing Obese Kids from Age 7-12 Years:
At this age, you should encourage your child to be physically active every day. Encourage them to join a sports team or dance team, or any organization of physical activity, depending upon what your child likes to do. Make exercise a fun activity, rather than a chore. You should also continue to serve healthy meals to your child.
Preventing Obese Kids from Age 13- 17 Years Old: A healthy diet for teenagers continues to be very important. If your child was not overweight before, this is prime time for your child to become overweight.
At this age, your child is becoming more and more independent, thus harder to influence with good habits. Children at this age tend to develop a taste for sweets and fast food, for they taste great and are convenient for their busy, on the go lifestyle.
You will not be able to watch over what your child eats as much at this age, for your child will probably go out for meals with friends pretty regularly. However, when your child plans to eat out for his or her meals, encourage him/her to choose healthier options, such as lean meats (i.e. chicken or turkey) as opposed to a greasy hamburger. You should also continue to encourage your child to be active daily.
Preventing Obese Kids from All Ages:
All ages enjoy the taste and convenience of fast food; however, it should only be consumed occasionally. If you are going to eat it, try eating healthy fast food choices.
You should also monitor the amount of time you and your family spends watching television, playing on the computer, and playing video games, for these activities can deter one from physical activities. You should try to abide by the food pyramid’s guidelines for daily servings and you should also engage in an adequate amount of physical activity daily.
