One of every three children in the United States is overweight or obese, improving the odds that these kids will grow up to become fat adults.
Don’t give up. “Your children don’t have to be among those who struggle with their weight — not if you adopt healthful lifestyles for your family,” says Goutham Rao, MD, who wrote the how-to book on ending childhood obesity — Child Obesity: A Parent’s Guide to a Fit, Trim, and Happy Child (Prometheus Books, 2006). As clinical director of the Weight Management and Wellness Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Dr. Rao doesn’t just give advice; he follows it. Example: He bikes to work.
Dr. Rao offers five recommendations that, if followed, will help your children — and the adults they will become — maintain a healthy weight.
- Eliminate sweetened beverages. “They’re liquid candy,” he says. That includes soda, fruit drinks and juices (yes, even the 100 percent apple or orange juices), energy drinks, flavored milk and iced tea.
- Eliminate — or at least limit — fast food. Grabbing breakfast on the way to school? Pancakes with butter and syrup are about 600 calories and 17 fat grams. Pack a low-fat cheese sandwich instead. What about dinner? Cut out the high-fat trimmings on the hamburger; this can top 800 calories and 55 fat grams.
- Limit screen time (that’s the TV, video games and other computer access) to no more than two hours a day.
- Engage in at least one-half hour of physical activity every day. “A generation ago, kids got daily exercise walking to school,” he says. “But now, that’s lost from our lifestyle because parents drive them or they ride the school bus.”
- Eat meals together as a family.
Dr. Rao believes your family can adopt healthful behaviors. Here are some tips:
- Replace sweetened beverages with water or skim milk. Older kids may occasionally consume diet sodas. Dr. Rao predicts your child could lose 10 pounds in one year through this one, simple change.
- Cut up vegetables and place them in easy-to-grab spots in the refrigerator for on-the-go snacks. Always have fresh fruit available. Pack low-fat cheese and apples and a thermos of low-fat milk for the car.
- As your children get older, they may need the computer longer for homework. Even then, encourage them to get up every half-hour to stretch and, at least, walk around the house. Kids who spend fewer hours watching TV or playing on the computer are more likely to be active.
- All children need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Turn activity into a family adventure by going for walks or playing catch in the backyard.
- Can’t arrange for the whole family to be home for sit-down dinners? Breakfast works. “You’re more likely to prepare something nutritious when you eat together,” he says.
Picky Eater?
Picky. Picky. Picky. Your toddler may prefer to stick to pasta, rice and pancakes. Don’t despair. “Many healthy older children were once picky eaters,” says Goutham Rao, MD, clinical director of Children’s Weight Management and Wellness Center. Be patient. It could take up to 15 attempts over several weeks before your child will agree to try food with an unfamiliar taste or texture.
Some picky eaters have no interest in food, while others may eat only certain foods–to excess. Either way, says, Dr. Rao–again, with emphasis–eliminate juice or other sweetened drinks. Offer a variety of vegetables for between-meal snacks.
What not to do: Don’t use food as a bribe. That means do not promise ice cream as a reward for finishing the broccoli. “That is one way to promote obesity,” says Dr. Rao. Offer choices (from your cupboards and refrigerator). While the choice may be between peas and carrots, the decision belongs to your child.
Compromise: Include one of your child’s favorite foods at every meal.
Food Allergies?
Finding healthful foods for children with food allergies can be challenging. The foods that contain the most common allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, tree nuts (such as walnuts, almonds and cashews), fish and shellfish. Don’t allow these restrictions to give your children an excuse to eat junk food, says Todd Green, MD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at Children’s.
Even if your kids don’t have food allergies, their friends may — a good reason for everyone to be aware of healthful food substitutions. “This is a good opportunity to promote healthful snacking,” says Dr. Green. Create a colorful bowl of cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon. Celery and carrots go well with balsamic vinegar dressing.
Dr. Green recommends discussing your child’s food allergies with a pediatric nutritionist. Is it your turn to provide treats in your child’s classroom? Start a new trend. Tell parents and teachers you’ll supply party favors, instead of sweets. Allergy Moms (allergymoms.org), a Cranberry, Pennsylvania-based advocacy organization, offers even more tips.
Vegetarian? Vegan?
Your daughter announces she has become a vegetarian. She may be concerned about her health, the environment, animal rights — or all three. It’s ok. You, of course, are concerned about her health. Her dietary and lifestyle choice may create havoc with your family meal-planning, but it should not be a problem for her health. Vegetarianism has been endorsed by the American Dietetic Association, which says that “appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful (and) are nutritionally adequate.” The operative words are “appropriately planned.” That means ensuring your child doesn’t fill up on carbohydrates and snacks.
Feeding your young vegetarian can be challenging when you realize that not all vegetarians are alike:
- Vegans dine on food from plant sources only.
- Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and egg products.
- Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products, but not eggs.
- Semi-vegetarians eat poultry and/or fish, but not red meat.
- Pesca-vegetarians eat fish, not poultry.
Make sure your kids consume adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12 (dairy products, eggs and fortified cereals); vitamin D (dairy products and calcium-fortified orange juice); calcium (dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, chickpeas and calcium-fortified juice and cereal); iron (eggs, dried beans, whole grains and leafy green vegetables); and zinc (nuts, wheat germ, fortified cereal and legumes).
Protein is essential. Serve eggs, tofu (soy products), nuts and dried beans, including kidney beans, chick peas and lentils; nuts; and low-fat dairy, such as skim milk and cottage cheese.
You may want to feed your infant or toddler a vegetarian diet. Talk with the pediatrician first. It’s important that infants and toddlers get enough calories from a variety of food groups. The pediatrician may recommend adding a vitamin/mineral supplement to your child's daily diet.
Good, healthful news: Your vegetarian preteen and teenager likely will eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, while staying away from high-fat hamburgers and chicken nuggets.