Bring up Your Child to a Healthy Weight: Tips on Starting Healthy Habits as Early as Possible

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By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Feb 24, 06:47 pm

Experts say starting kids early with healthy habits is the best way to get them a healthy weight.

Children having a healthy weight should be every parent's priority. This sets them up for successful adulthood. A healthy weight means eating healthy food, exercising, and steering kids away from future health problems such as obesity.

With children's obesity on the rise, parents must teach their children healthy habits early.

"Children who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes, experience feelings of isolation, and struggle with self-esteem. Starting healthy habits early is the best way to maintain a healthy weight," emphasized the pediatrician at OSF HealthCare in Rockland, Illinois, Dr. Asma Khan, US News reported.

Children obesity

Obesity is a chronic disease that can risk every body part, negatively affect a person's hunger and fullness, and interfere with energy.

And, just like any other chronic condition, obesity can be treated.

According to Medical Express, childhood obesity must be treated as early as possible because it can last into adulthood and cause serious diseases like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and bone and joint problems. Childhood obesity can also lead to mental health problems when they reach adolescence and adulthood.

One of the measures to check excess weight in children is the body mass index (BMI). It is a calculation that compares a kid's height and weight against their age and gender to find if their weight is in a healthy range. Though it cannot tell the health inside the body, it is an outward sign that can reflect what is happening inside the body. Once the BMI is outside the healthy range, it would mean that the kid is overweight or obese.

Single no more

Expert Dr. Khan is giving parents six tips on how to raise healthy children with healthy weight, as presented by OSF HealthCare.

1. Teach kids about hunger and fullness cues.

Children need to know how to recognize when hungry or full to know when to eat and when not to. This can minimize binging on food just because they are bored, sad, or have nothing else to do.

2. Utilize child-sized plates.

Parents can use a child-sized plate to gauge how much food their children can eat every meal. Khan suggests that half of the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables while the other half should have some lean protein such as fish, chicken, or beans and a whole grain like whole wheat bread, brown rice, or oatmeal.

3. Parents must be good role models.

As parents are constantly told, children imitate what they see adults do. Parents cannot expect their kids to be living a healthy lifestyle if they are not. Thus, make lifestyle changes together as a family. Allow the kids to see how they enjoy eating healthy food and exercising, and they should be consistent with it.

4. Prepare healthy snacks and drinks.

Choose to offer carrots and hummus, apple or kale chips instead of snacks high in sugar and fat like junk foods, sweets, and soda. They can eat the latter but only on limited occasions like special events in the family.

5. Encourage physical activity every day.

Parents need to know how significant it is for kids to get moving. Daily exercise, which means 60 minutes of any physical activity and a 15-minute spurt of activity throughout the day, will not only control children's weight but can also strengthen bones, decrease blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Not only will it help control kids' weight, but increased physical activity is also associated with strengthening bones, lowering blood pressure, and reducing anxiety.

6. Minimize screen time.

More than two hours of screen time a day is unhealthy, and many studies have already proven that too much screen time is detrimental to children's overall health and well-being. Ensure the kids have a balanced time for enough sleep, physical activities, face-to-face interactions, and socialization.