- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preschoolers today articles
- preschoolers today q&a
- children today articles
- children today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Carrying the Weight
Helping Your Overweight Child
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
"My daughter is 10 and is about 10 to 15 pounds overweight," says Rhonda Hensler, a caterer from Nevada City, Calif. "Since birth her weight has been a topic of yearly doctors visits. The standard advice that's given is always the same: 'Exercise more. Eat less. Encourage vegetables.' At my house I try to model eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains. I try to exercise three times a week as an example. As I remain overweight, maybe my behavior and actions are a better model then my appearance."
In addition to diet changes, physical activity and realistic goals are also important to help a child lose weight and regain proper health. The activity or exercise a child takes part in should be fun and not be offered as a chore, otherwise resistance will occur. "No amount of nutritional counseling will help without daily exercise," says Dr. Wright. "I work with parents to identify a fun source of physical activity for their child." Also, when setting goals regarding weight loss, the goals should be realistic and easily obtainable. Replace the larger goals, such as losing a total of 30 pounds, with smaller, step-by-step goals. "For some children, simply not gaining any more weight is a sufficient goal. For others, a weight loss of one-half to one pound a week may be recommended. This is healthy and sustainable. Faster weight loss can be dangerous, and usually results in rebound weight gain."
