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The latest figures released in the US state that 15 percent of children and teenagers are now considered overweight up from 6 20 years ago Statistics in the UK are similar and rising Whilst children starve in Africa kids in the Western world are lin
The latest figures released in the US state that 15 percent of children and teenagers are now considered overweight up from 6 20 years ago Statistics in the UK are similar and rising Whilst children starve in Africa kids in the Western world are lining up to suffer a frightening array of weightrelated illnesses including skin and joint problems early osteoporosis type II diabetes bowel cancer high blood pressure heart attack and strokes Recent research also suggests that obese kids are 77 more likely to suffer from asthma

And of course in a world where TV movies teenage sitcoms and advertising all promote the ideal image and the fat kid is often mocked and made the butt of all the jokes many overweight children will increasingly suffer from lack of confidence and poor selfesteem leading to isolation and possibly depression in their teenage years

Why do the numbers of overweight children keep going up

Portion sizes at school restaurants and home keep growing

Children have far more choice in what they eat previous generations ate what they were given or went hungry

Food is much more easily available

Kids drinks fizzy drinks and socalled sports drinks abound

Many snack foods and junk foods are specially targeted at kids advertised to kids on TV of little nutritional value and far from filling Some nutritionists even suspect that chemical additives can make your child crave more of particular foods

Fast food outlets have proliferated in recent years and provide cheap easy meals for timestretched parents

Kids expect instant gratification in many areas of their lives including food Living with hunger pangs even for an hour is no longer an option

Parents are often setting a bad example

Children no longer walk or cycle to school or much at all Outdoor activities are much less a part of their lives than in previous generations

Spare time is spent on more sedentary pursuits such as television computers and video games and even texting The latest figures suggest that the average American teenager spends a horrifying 4 to 5 hours a day watching television

How can we help our overweight child to lose weight

Firstly it is important to be aware that there is no magic formula and no instant solution Your child will not be fit healthy and the perfect weight overnight If however your child eats sensibly and healthily and increases their physical activities they will grow into their weight

Secondly it is vital that any approach you choose does not make your child feel different guilty victimised or unhappy in any way Young children who worry about their weight grow into teenagers with eating disorders

Thirdly remember that by banning any foods you are likely to create rebellious feelings even in younger children and disobeying your dictates may even turn into a game or worse a shameful secret You are never going to be able to totally prevent a child from eating what he likes If you forbid chocolate in your own house for example you can be sure your child will be eating it at friends houses or at school if he gets half the chance

Parts 2 3 4 and 5 of this article suggest many ideas tips and tactics for tackling the issues an overweight child faces and encouraging gentle and effective weight loss without damaging your childs self esteem