As a child, many of us were told to finish everything on our
plates. Our parents encouraged us to finish our meal regardless of
whether we were hungry or full. Today the trial is even more difficult
with the "junk" food that kids love: cookies, pops, chips and fast
food. For some children, the problem of being overweight can even stem
from how the child is taught to eat.
But, how can parents teach their children the proper eating habits
and, if necessary, the proper weight-loss techniques?
"Making children finish everything on their plates can
contribute to overeating and the loss of effective appetite regulation.
This can make it difficult to control weight," says Shelly Summar,
research coordinator, Nutrition Services at Children’s Mercy Hospitals
and Clinics.
Without proper appetite regulation, kids can "pig out" on foods
that might not be healthy and are high in calories. Also, without the
proper amount of physical activity on a daily basis, children will not
be able to burn off the calories they consume by eating.
"Parents buy the food that their kids eat. If they are
constantly bringing pop, chips, and cupcakes into the home, the child
will learn to eat that food and reject other, more nutritious, foods,"
says Summar.
"It is important for parents to understand that children model what
their parents do: If a parent eats healthy, the child will eat healthy.
If a parent exercises, the child will also want to be active."
Following are tips Summar recommends to help your child lose
weight while eating healthy foods.
- Help your child decide where the extra calories are coming from.
Then, help your child cut down on those foods. For instance, a can of
pop can add 100 to 200 calories per serving.
- Encourage the family to make diet changes together. Cut down on the
amount of cookies, cakes, chips, and pops the entire family consumes.
This will make the transition less difficult for the child.
- Make healthy foods easily available for children to eat. Have cut
up carrots, apples, oranges, and broccoli available at all times. If
these foods are available, they will be chosen.
- Encourage your child to exercise 3 or 4 times a week for at least
30 minutes each time. This could be as simple as turning off the TV and
sending kids outside.
- Limit the amount of fried foods, sausage and bacon the child eats.
Decrease the amount of butter, mayonnaise and salad dressing they add
to their food.
- Encourage the child not to skip a meal. When you skip a meal you
become hungrier at the next meal and you may overeat at that time.
Skipping a meal may also cause them to have difficulty paying attention
in school.
All of these suggestions can help the child promote a healthy
lifestyle that helps change your child’s diet for life.
