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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
How can I help manage my child's weight?
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Our son is only 10 years old but is already overweight. I worry that he will only continue to gain weight and it will be much more difficult to lose weight an an older age. How can I help manage his weight? -
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Dr Rebecca Reynolds
Nutritionist
Rebecca Charlotte Reynolds, PhD (Dr Bec) Personable and ethical registered nutritionist (RNutr) and lecturer at UNSW Australia in lifestyle and health. Regular consultant to the … View Profile
Hi there!
This is a difficult one - you don't want to upset your son, but you also want him to be as healthy as he can be. Have you: spoken to your son directly about his weight, made suggestive comments, or ignored the situation? Has your son been measured by a GP?
This is a helpful website:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Overweight_children_healthy_lifestyle_tips
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Dr Bec :)
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Genevieve Michael
Dietitian
Having gathered 28 years of private practice experience , Genevieve wants to assist people with practical changes to their food and lifestyle issues in order … View Profile
Dear concerned parent,
You are right in being concerned that an overweight child has an increased risk of becoming an overweight adult.
However, children lay down extra fat stores prior to growth spurts and a ten year old boy may just be pre-pubertal. If he is, the extra fat will be used to help him grow taller!
The differences in children in energy intake are actually quite small. Therefore I suggest that you only restrict his access to ‘treat’ foods ( I usually suggest once per week) but continue to offer him healthy foods in unrestricted quantities to encourage growth.
If the problem, as you see it, does not resolve in the next three to six months, then I would suggest you seek the advice of your local Accredited Practising Dietitian.Report this post
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1
Agree
Lisa Renn
Dietitian
Lisa is an APD with 12 years experience, specialising in helping people identify and change habits that impact negatively on their health. Inspiring change, Lisa … View Profile
Hi there,
the most important thing for children is healthy role models and that means that whole family being involved. If you have other children then limiting treats needs to be a family thing not just for your son- even if the other kids don't have weight issues.
If you as parents are making healthy food and drink choices and encouraging physical activity as a family these are the best ways to help your son.
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Arlene Normand
Dietitian
Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile
I can understand why you are concerned about your son as obesity is an enormous worry. Ideally you should seek the advice of your local Accredited Practising Dietitian.
Try limiting ‘treat’ foods but continue to offer him healthy foods. A healthy eating plan limits foods that lead to weight gain. Foods that should be limited include these:
fats that are solid at room temperature (like butter and lard)
foods that are high in calories, sugar, and salt like sugary drinks, chips, cookies, fries, and candy
refined grains (white flour, rice, and pasta)
Just like adults, children should replace unhealthy foods with a variety of healthy foods, including these:
Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains like brown rice
Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products or substitutes, like soy beverages that have added calcium and vitamin D
Lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, soy products, and eggs
The following changes may help your child eat healthier at home:
Buy and serve more fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried). Let your child choose them at the store. Use a new fruit to make smoothies.
Buy fewer high-calorie foods like sugary drinks, chips, cookies, fries, and candy.
Offer your child water or low-fat milk instead of fruit juice.
Other ways to support healthy eating habits include these:
Make healthy choices easy. Put nutritious foods where they are easy to see and keep any high-calorie foods out of sight.
Eat fast food less often. When you do visit a fast food restaurant, encourage your family to choose the healthier options, such as salads with low-fat dressing.
Plan healthy meals and eat together as a family so you can explore a variety of foods together.
To help your child develop a healthy attitude toward food, try these ideas:
Don't use food as a reward when encouraging kids to eat. Promising dessert to a child for eating vegetables, for example, sends the message that vegetables are less valuable than dessert.
Explain the reasons for eating whatever it is you are serving. Don't make your child clean his or her plate.
Limit eating to specific meal and snack times. At other times, the kitchen is "closed."
Avoid large portions. Start with small servings and let your child ask for more if he or she is still hungry.
Kids need about 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but this doesn't have to happen all at once. Several short 10- or even 5-minute periods of activity throughout the day are just as good. If your children are not used to being active, encourage them to start with what they can do and build up to 60 minutes a day.
Here are some ways to help your child move every day:
Set a good example. Show your child that you are physically active and that you have fun doing it.
Encourage your child to join a sports team or class, such as basketball, dance, or soccer at school or at your local community or recreation centre.
If your child feels uncomfortable participating in activities like sports, help him or her find physical activities that are fun and not competitive, such as dancing to music, playing tag, jumping rope, or riding a bike.
Be active together as a family. Assign active chores such as making the beds, sweeping/raking, or vacuuming. Plan active outings such as a walk through a local park.
Kids spend a lot of time sitting down watching TV, playing video games, or using the computer or hand-held devices like cell phones. The following tips may help cut back on some of this inactive time:
Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.
Help your child find fun things to do like acting out favorite books or stories, or doing a family art project.
Encourage your child to get up and move during TV commercials and discourage snacking when sitting in front of a screen.
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