PREVENTION OF/ APPROACH TO THE OVERWEIGHT STATUS OF A CHILD OR ADOLESCENT
Recognize the complications of your child or teen being overweight---of adults who are overweight:
1) Set reasonable and safe goals. Research has shown that a child should gradually lose weight—at 1-2 pounds per month. Faster weight loss in a growing child increases the chance of illness or complications. Yes, during the first week or so of diet and exercise changes, you may see more than a two pound change but after the first burst—whatever nature allows it to be—accept 1-2 pounds per month.
2) Set long term goals. It is more important to set a goal of life style and eating habit change than to set a target weight. Accept gradual weight change but concentrate on changing behavior/habits of eating and exercise. Fight to continue this change in eating and exercise long-term/ life-long.
3) Make life changes. Make lifestyle changes.
4) It is of key importance to have family support for this change. It works best if the entire family makes these changes in food purchasing, meal and snack scheduling, good choices in eating a prudent diet, and regular exercise habits.
5) Set exact times for meals—3 per day and snacks 2 or 3 per day. No eating between meals. No “grazing” or popping up to get a snack at each commercial. Avoid purchasing “fast foods” that can be grabbed off the counter and eaten without preparation.
6) Family eating habit changes, after deciding to change, begins with what is purchased at the grocery store and brought into the home. Choose wisely.
7) Every child and teen should have 45 minutes of sustained/continuous activity per day. This can be sports, trampoline, raking the yard, vacuuming, bike riding, trampoline. 45 minutes. Continuous. Daily.
8) Visualize what the positive effect will be for your body. Every 8 pounds of weight is like tying a full gallon milk jug to your waist and carrying it with you day and night. How light on their feet will the child or teen feel when that weight is lifted—in full or in part. This is real strain on the body—heart, muscles, joints.
9) This is a family problem.. The family in most cases contributed to and still helps keep the problem ongoing.
10) Decrease TV/computer/ sedentary video games to a total of two hours or less. It has been proven that such limitation of “couch potato” time leads to changes in weight and health. Over two hours a day—heading in the wrong direction.
11) Both parents have to agree. Teens have to agree. Grandparents and other caregivers have to agree with and go along with the plan for change. It is unfair for parents and child/teen to struggle only to have other family settings work against you.
12) Learn what a “prudent diet” is and set it as your goal. Do not hesitate to request a referral to a dietician or other resources if general information in the office is inadequate for your needs.
13) Some children/teens and adults need psychological support. A family cheering you on or changing along with you is great. Some children and teens , however, may need counseling to examine self-image, look at self esteem issues or explore why they find it difficult to chang, or for other reasons. Do not hesitate to ask for referral for such services.
14) Your child or teens motivation is key –so is that of parent and others important to the individual wanting to change. It is hard to keep motivation high during a slow change. Help each other stay motivated. If your child is not motivated to change or does not recognize a problem exists, then the oarent must step in and force the issue. With teens, we must convince them to accept a good goal and support them. Children are not ready to make such decisions but need consistent guidance and example.
15) Taking a balanced, gradual approach of life style change will not place your child at risk for an eating disorder. Just the opposite—it sets the stage for life-long positive habits.