How to prevent and reduce overweight in children?

Being overweight is a health problem regardless of age, however, when it starts at an early age with a poor diet, the damage it can have on adulthood can be fatal. If you want to know how to prevent and reduce being overweight in children, our guide will help you understand how you can do it and take care of your children’s health.

Overweight: What is it and how does it occur?

When a person’s weight is above the recommended values ​​for their age and height, they are considered overweight. The reasons may vary, including hormonal and hereditary factors, however, the main focus of this article is on childhood overweight due to poor nutrition.

Poor eating habits, high in carbohydrates and little physical activity, lead to obvious weight gain that can put the health of children at risk, even impacting the way they will live their lives in adulthood. (You may also be interested in:  Healthy Habits for Children)

So how to prevent and reduce overweight in children?

At this point we are faced with two scenarios, the case where the child is already overweight and the case where we want to prevent weight gain and its consequences. In both cases there are measures that can be taken, below we explain each of them:

Preventing overweight in children

Prevention is the key when it comes to preserving health. Preventing a child from living his or her life subject to the ravages of being overweight can be achieved in many ways, however, the starting point is to maintain a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

Growing children need foods that provide them with the nutrients they need to develop healthily. Avoiding the constant intake of high amounts of carbohydrates and fats, and in this same way avoiding the consumption of high-calorie foods is a good alternative.

This doesn’t mean that you should prohibit your child from eating desserts and snacks occasionally, but you should avoid eating them constantly. Instead, foods rich in protein and vitamins, such as fruits and vegetables, can help keep your child healthy and strengthen their immune system.

Reducing overweight in children

Overweight in children can become a serious health problem if not treated in time. A few extra kilos can be the gateway to more serious conditions such as cardiovascular problems and diabetes. The most important thing when dealing with an overweight child is to help him or her eat healthily and exercise. ( Read Also: Impact of Technology on Children )

It can be a very complex task. Generally, it is difficult for adults to adapt to a healthier lifestyle, and it may be even more so for a child. A visit to a medical specialist, a nutritionist, could help you make the right decisions that will best benefit the child.

It is known firsthand that avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, reducing the intake of high-calorie foods and promoting physical activity is a good way to lose weight.

Why should overweight in children be avoided?

Over the years, a false belief has been spread that a child with a little extra weight is a healthy child, however this is not entirely true. Being overweight is directly linked to a long list of conditions that can significantly reduce a child’s quality of life and affect them in the long term in their adult life.

Diseases such as type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, respiratory problems, high blood pressure and many others are just some of the problems that an obese child will have to face if it is not treated in time. This does not include mental disorders that are also related to being overweight, such as depression and anxiety.

Being overweight is not synonymous with health, but with neglect and the appearance of conditions that can harm the child for the rest of his or her life. As parents, there are some tips you can follow to help your child stay healthy:

• Encourage physical activity: Take him to the park or motivate him to play a sport.
• Maintain a healthy diet: Prepare healthy food at home and avoid eating junk food as much as possible.
• Don’t support a sedentary lifestyle: Resting occasionally is fine, but rejecting any type of physical activity is not. Encourage your child to spend time with the family and not spend too much time in front of the television or computer.

Eating healthy is easy! And you also take care of the health of your loved ones. Make the most of this information. Knowing how to prevent and reduce overweight in children is a very important step towards leading a healthy life.