The usual slimming advice given to children has two goals. The first is to ensure normal growth and development, and the second is to help children achieve a healthy weight. Based on these two goals, weight management experts for children have come up with slimming recommendations that are appropriate for the vast majority of children.
When to keep the weight off
Keeping the weight off allows children to "grow" to a healthy weight while growing. If children are encouraged to develop healthy eating and exercise patterns, they can prevent extra weight gain without "dieting" and maintain their weight as they grow. Children are more successful than adults in using healthy eating and regular exercise to keep their weight in a healthy range over time.
Weight management strategies also apply to children as young as three years old. One approach suggests that it makes the most sense to limit weight gain to 2 pounds (1 pound = 453.59237 grams) for every inch (1 foot = 30.48 centimeters) of height gained by an overweight toddler. After age 4, weight should be maintained until the child's body mass index (BMI) falls within the normal range (below 85%.) (See Body Mass Index for Children for more information on BMI for children). Similar advice is given for children over 7 years of age - children who are "at risk" of being overweight should achieve a healthy weight as they grow, i.e., maintain their weight as they grow taller.
When to lose weight
Losing weight is not usually recommended for children under 7 years old. This only applies to children whose BMI is in the overweight range and who have weight-related health problems, such as developing high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol. Any slimming regimen applied to a child should be specifically designed for the child and the results should be tracked. Adult weight-loss programs do not work for most children.
In most cases, children should usually be limited to losing 1 pound (1 pound = 453.59237 grams) per month. At this point, children can continue to gain height and build muscle. Children are able to lose weight gradually, and achieving this goal gives parents and children a sense of accomplishment. In addition, over time, healthy eating patterns can become moderate (lean) and easy to adhere to.
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Differential Diets for Kids
Children eat differently than adults. Common children's foods are high in fat, the nutrient that converts the most calories - each teaspoon of fat contains 40-45 calories (a teaspoon of pure protein or carbohydrates contains about 20 calories). Chips, hot dogs, fried chicken nuggets and cookies are just a few of the high-fat foods that children eat. Some foods that are not very nutritious but are high in calories are fruit juices, soft drinks (non-alcoholic beverages), and snacks, from which most children take in extra calories.
Some simple foods can improve the diets of today's kids. Whole grains provide fiber, which maintains gastrointestinal health and enhances the feeling of fullness. Choosing water, other calorie-free beverages, or low-fat or nonfat milk as a beverage can help maintain a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables provide healthful nutrients that promote satiety without adding many calories. A few oils, such as canola or olive oil, provide an important nutrient, vitamin E.
Impact of portion sizes
In China, both portion sizes and body weight have increased over the past 30 years. Restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and instant foods are serving up to eight times the amount recommended for a healthy diet. Children also eat more when faced with larger portions, the study found. Most children, like adults, eat all the food put in front of them rather than stopping when they are full. Along with large portions comes the risk of consuming more calories than the body needs.
The increase in soft drink portion sizes has been the most dramatic, with a single soft drink serving now ranging between 350-500 grams, depending on the size of the bottle, compared with 150-200 grams 30 years ago. Soft drinks are thought to be linked to weight gain, as researchers have found that when the amount of soft drinks in the diet goes up, the overall calories also increase. A British study found that children who drank fewer soft drinks lost weight a year later, and those who didn't, gained weight.
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Parental Responsibilities
Parents have several important responsibilities in creating and maintaining a healthy weight home environment. One of the most important responsibilities is to act as a model of behavior. Parents are the child's first and most influential behavioral role models with regard to food choices, developing eating patterns, and forming attitudes, values, and beliefs about food and eating. For example, if a parent believes that it is important to eat a healthy breakfast and does so every day, it is highly likely that the children in the family will automatically share that view.
Parents are likewise providers. They buy food for the family, toys and sports equipment that encourage physical activity. Parents not only provide wholesome, nutritious food, they also provide large meals from time to time. They also create a consistent, supportive environment that encourages the entire family to develop a lifestyle that includes healthy eating.
Parents act as enforcers, enforcing positive influences on children's food and eating behaviors. For example, parents help children learn to obey and respond to hunger and satiety signals in their bodies. This enforcement helps children learn to eat only when they are truly hungry, not out of boredom. The overall goal of enforcers is not to become the "family food police," but to ensure that food choices and eating patterns support the overall health and well-being of all members of the family.
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