Preventing Childhood Obesity

By Janet V. Johnson, MD

Loving Care Pediatrics

More Child Health and Safety Articles

Preventing Childhood Obesity

About one in every five children in the United States has obesity, with certain groups being more affected than others. It is never too early (or too late) to start teaching about eating right and living well. Whether your child is overweight or not here are some key ways to help prevent childhood obesity and teach your children healthy habits that will last a lifetime

Consume less, burn more. Managing the number of calories that go in and increasing the number of calories that are used up with exercise. This is the key to childhood obesity prevention.

Eating healthy foods should be fun. Make sure you give your child several healthy choices and let them help with dinner from meal planning, grocery shopping to cooking the meal.

Family dinners should be a priority. Our life schedules can be very busy and hectic, however take time to have a meal where the family sits down together daily. Studies have shown that children in families that sit together for dinner several nights a week are more apt to adopt healthy eating behaviors, habits and perform better in school.

Follow the 5-2-1-0 rule. Strive to eat five serving of fruit and vegetables daily. Spend less than two hours daily with electronic devices. Spend one hour per day doing something active. Zero limit sweet drinks or have none. Drink more water and low-fat milk.

Look for ways to help the schools become healthier regarding access to unhealthy food options, vending machines and fried foods.

Empower your child to make their own healthy decisions and be part of childhood obesity prevention efforts.

Be a role model by trying to eat right and get exercise. Eat healthy snacks to stress that you are serious about childhood obesity prevention.

Healthy Eating Tips For Families On the Go

Pack school lunches with whole grains, fruits, lean, all-natural meats and healthy snacks, such as nuts and dried fruits.

Get rid of the sugar-filled neon-colored “breakfast” cereals. There are dozens of great-tasting, all-natural, organic cereals. Also, try a breakfast smoothie.

Have non-perishable healthy snacks in your car for when your little one is hungry on the road. Dried fruits, nuts and healthy individually-packaged snacks are a good option.

If you take the time to make a healthy, homemade meal, they are safe to be placed in a vacuum-sealed container and put in the freezer, they can often keep for several weeks.

Not an essential nutrient, performs several vital functions Natural laxative and may lower cholesterol concentration in the blood. A high-fiber intake also supplied greater amounts of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and folate, as well as the minerals magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and phosphorus.