How can i help childhood obesity

Be a role model for them by adopting these healthy habits, and they will too! Finally, remember that obesity is a complex disease with many contributing factors. Learn more about what states and communities can do to make healthy and active living accessible for everyone. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. How much of each food group do you and your family need? In addition to being fun for children, regular physical activity has many health benefits, including:. Children ages 3 through 5 years should be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should be physically active at least 60 minutes each day. Include aerobic activity, which is anything that makes their hearts beat faster.

Also include bone-strengthening activities such as running or jumping and muscle-strengthening activities such as climbing or push-ups. See details. Remember that children imitate adults. Start adding physical activity to your own routine and encourage your child to join you. Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend television viewing for children aged 2 years or younger.

Instead, encourage children to find fun activities to do with family members or on their own that simply involve more activity. Too little sleep external icon is associated with obesity, partly because inadequate sleep makes us eat more and be less physically active.

This should include red beets, tomatoes , orange carrots, squash , yellow potatoes, bananas , green lettuce, broccoli and so on—just like eating a rainbow. Make breakfast a priority. Children who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who skip the first meal of the day.

Look for hidden sugar. Reducing the amount of candy and desserts you and your child eat is only part of the battle. Sugar is also hidden in foods as diverse as bread, canned soups, pasta sauce, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, low-fat meals, fast food, and ketchup. The body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food—so anything added amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories.

Check labels and opt for low sugar products and use fresh or frozen ingredients instead of canned goods. Schedule regular meal times. The majority of children like routine. If your kids know they will only get food at certain times, they will be more likely to eat what they get when they get it.

Not all fats contribute to weight gain. While trans fats have been effectively outlawed in the U. Choose saturated fat wisely. Focus on the source of saturated fats consumed: A glass of whole milk or natural cheese rather than a hot dog, donut, or pastry, for example, or grilled chicken or fish instead of fried chicken. Add more healthy fats that can help a child control blood sugar and avoid diabetes. Your home is where your child most likely eats the majority of meals and snacks, so it is vital that your kitchen is stocked with healthy choices.

Instead, limit the cookies, candies, and baked goods your child eats and introduce fruit-based snacks and desserts instead. Limit juice, soda, and coffee drinks. Soft drinks are loaded with sugar and shakes and coffee drinks can be just as bad. Keep snacks small. Limit them to to calories. Go for reduced-sugar options.

Focus on fruit. Keep a bowl of fruit out for your children to snack on—kids love satsuma or tangerine oranges. And offer fruit as a sweet treat—frozen juice bars, fruit smoothies, strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream, fresh fruit added to plain yogurt, or sliced apples with peanut butter. Experiment with herbs and spices. Use sweet-tasting herbs and spices such as mint, cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg to add sweetness to food without the empty calories.

Learn what a regular portion size looks like. The portion sizes that you and your family are used to eating may be equal to two or three true servings. To keep calories in check, try to limit portions to the size of your fist. Read food labels. Information about serving size and calories can be found on the backs of packaging.

You may be surprised at how small the recommended portions are or how many calories are in the dish. Use smaller dishes. Dish up in the kitchen. To minimize the temptation of second and third helpings, serve food on individual plates, instead of putting the serving dishes on the table.

Divide food from large packages into smaller containers. Get ideas for sugar swaps when you shop and healthier swaps for breakfast, snacks and puddings. Help your children avoid sitting and lying around too much, as it makes it more likely for them to put on weight. Limit the amount of time your child spends on inactive pastimes such as watching television, playing video games and playing on electronic devices.

There's no hard and fast advice on how much is too much, but experts say children should watch no more than 2 hours of television each day. It also helps children stay trim if they sleep well. It's been shown that children who don't have the recommended amount of sleep are more likely to be overweight. The less children sleep, the greater the risk of them becoming obese.

Lack of sleep can also affect their mood and behaviour. Find out how much sleep children need according to their age. Learn how screens impair children's sleep.

Get sleep tips for children. Find out the hidden causes of weight gain. If you have received a letter about your child's weight after they were measured at school, you can use the contact number on the letter to speak to a health worker and get more information about what you can do and what support is available in your area.

A GP or practice nurse can give you further advice. They also may be able to refer you to a local weight management programme for children, such as those run by MEND and More Life. These programmes are often free to attend through your local health authority, and typically involve a series of weekly group workshop sessions with other parents and their children.

You'll learn more about the diet and lifestyle changes that can help your child achieve a healthy weight. Page last reviewed: 9 August Next review due: 9 August What can I do if my child is very overweight? The truth about carbs. Understanding calories Very low calorie diets Calorie checker. Find out your BMI. How to diet Start losing weight Top diets review 10 weight loss myths Keep weight off Should you lose weight fast? How your GP can help you lose weight How to lose weight in a wheelchair Managing weight with a learning disability.

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