Current statistics indicate that out of five kids aged 6-19 one of them is obese. This issues affects children both physically and emotional hence leading to a lot of suggestions being posted on the best of dealing with it. One of the best suggestions is getting parents learning and involved in their kids’ weight loss. The best way to go about this is by focusing more on parents rather than the kid during treatment of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is attributed by experts to a number of factors such as lifestyle preferences, environmental factors and cultural conditions. Although obesity has been linked to too much fat and calories, researchers have pointed out larger portion sizes, decreased physical activity and sugar in juices as causes.

Further understanding of child obesity is enhanced by knowledge of its measurement. A BMI chart or body mass index is used nowadays in measuring child obesity. A child is considered overweight when his/her BMI is at 85th percentile and above but less than 95th percentile. Any kid with a percentile of over 95th percentile is rendered obese while healthy kids’ BMI ranges from 5th percentile to 85th percentile.

The effects of obesity or overweight in kids go beyond huge numbers on the scale since the child is exposed to some healthy risks. Breathing problems such as fatty liver disease, asthma, heartburn and joint problems, cholesterol pull up and high blood pressure are some of the conditions that the kid may experience.

Apart from physical conditions, an obese child may also suffer from low self esteem and depression. Furthermore, obese kids get bullied more often than their averagely weighed counterparts regardless of their skills in social life.

The best tool to be used in fighting against obesity in children is parents. Therefore, parental understanding of ways in which they can avoid scaring the kid but offer the best nutrition is very important. This article takes this issue as a family matter and so details out 10 methods that can be used by parents in reducing weight in their kids.

The key to weight loss is food rather than exercise and so it is important to pick a working food lifestyle. A number of diets can be utilized in formulating an eating pattern that is healthier and can aid with weight loss. Diet is majorly about the type of food rather than strange eating practises. The kid needs to understand that healthy eating does not only end with getting a certain appearance or losing few pounds but giving nourishment and fuelling the body for better performance. A great diet to start with is the Mediterranean diet that emphasizes on the intake of whole grains, healthy fats such as olive, veggies, fish and veggies. Even though the kid may have knowledge about this food, they should be made a centre of focus. The body is protected greatly diet against metabolic complications, heart diseases and other healthy conditions related to obesity such as type-2 diabetes by the Mediterranean.

Gluten-free diet can be good answer to gluten problems in kids. Additionally, unhealthy foods like refined carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, white bread, white and whole grain are avoided so that gluten is eliminating or reducing. Nevertheless, gluten free junk foods have started popping out with the increased avoidance of gluten. For those individuals who fear replacing one healthy food with another a Paleo diet might be suitable. This diet foregoes legumes, dairy, grains and refined sugars while focusing on vegetables, healthy fats and proteins. A lot of guess work is done in this type of diet though it may sound restrictive at first.

Once the entire family says goodbye to extra sugars and processed foods some health benefits should be expected. Refined carbohydrates fill the body with zero value calories and so should be avoided. Snacks are the next in line to be cut off since they contain strange ingredients that make up their flavour. The low fat cookies, flavoured yoghurt, premade salad dressings and fruit juices that are thought to be healthy may be containing sugar and other extra ingredients that can render them unhealthy. The best way to go forward is by making your own healthy foods that will assist with kid’s weight management.

Another good way of reducing obesity in children is by cooking at home. Busy families that have to juggle between school, work, activities, homework and life planning may find it challenging to cook at home. However, this is one of the most effective methods of aiding your kid in weight loss. Children usually eat appropriate food sizes which are nutritious if the food is cooked at home. Kitchen hacking is also handful since one can prepare all the meals during the weekend and serve the food the whole week. A good example is cooking soup or chilli, chicken and curry during the weekend and serving curry and soup throughout the week. The chicken can be served with oven-baked potatoes, utilized in lettuce wraps or added to salad. A breakfast meal such as oatmeal sweetened with fresh fruits and honey, scrambled eggs with veggies alongside a whole-wheat toast slice or pumpkin blueberry pancakes can also be utilised for dinner.

The child should be kept on motion and he/she should be enrolled for play after school time if he/she is into sports. Apart from making the kid active such activities offers kids adequate time to socialize in addition to encouraging physical activities. As a parent you can go for swimming, practise, YouTube yoga, jog out or go for walks together with your kid. This may make them acknowledge the fact that being active does not necessarily mean boring exercises and gym classes.

Kids should be stopped from eating once the parents notice that they are full. In our childhood we used to being forced to finish what is on your plate even if one was full or not. However, once an individual is full of food he/she will turn away from it. This applies equally to kids who say they are full or not too hungry. Their response should be respected without forcing them to eat.
Children should also be involved in the cooking process since their chances of eating the food is enhanced by their involvement. The kids should be free to engage themselves in kitchen activities such as washing and chopping veggies along with basic cooking. Apart from helping out, kids’ say on the on the type of food to be prepared should also be put into consideration. Several kids’ snacks that are healthy can be prepared where ideas lack.

Adaptation to new food requires several tries on the meal in order to get used to it. One should not be discouraged immediately if a kid dislikes a new meal. The kid can try out the food when it is made as part of an entire meal. Do not force the child if he/she does not favour the meal but constant serving of it may eventually lead to the kid being attracted.
Since a parent cannot fully control what his/her kids take, it is necessary that they do not try to criminalise certain foods. The can get easy access of the prohibited food as they grow and so they should not be left feeling guilty by such actions. As a parent, you should acknowledge the fact that different types of foods are eaten sparingly or during exceptional occasions.

The size of food that children are given also influences their weight loss. Kids should be offered with ‘kid size’ portions until they are teenagers. An easy-to-follow recommendation of portion sizes for each age group is detailed in the Healthy Children. The needs of children vary according to several factors but it is important to start with a small portion. It is better for the kid to go for a second serving rather than having double of what they can handle.

The kid is a family member and therefore the situation should be undertaken as a family affair. Situations where one kid is eating a different meal from others may turn out to be embarrassing. Healthy eating and losing weight should be the target of the whole family. Unhealthy meals should be foregone while foods such as veggies and fruits should be incorporated in the family diet. Since keeping a healthy eating habit is very important, the children can easily follow the set eating behaviour.