How to Help Your Child Maintain a Healthy Weight

12 Feb How to Help Your Child Maintain a Healthy Weight

It is so important for your child to maintain a healthy weight, as this can impact their overall health and well-being. Several children struggle with being overweight, and these kids need to keep a healthier body mass index (BMI). However, there are also many children who struggle with beingunderweight, which can result in just as many health concerns. 

The first step is to make sure that you meet with your child’s pediatrician to get a better idea of what a healthy weight for your child should be based on their height, age, and activity level. Once you have a general idea of what your child’s ideal weight should be, here are a few ways as a parent that you can help your child.

Try to Maintain a Healthy Body Image Example

Many kids who struggle with weight, body image and healthy eating habits unfortunately learn these habits by example. Children pick up a lot from their parents, and while you may not think that your child is paying attention or absorbing comments that you are making about your own weight, they may be. Don’t comment on your own weight negatively in front of your child, and don’t comment on your child’s weight negatively in front of them.

Set a Healthy Example for Your Kids 

If you are overweight, inactive, and eating fast food all of the time, then why would you expect your children to do any differently? Also, if you are always counting calories and worrying about the caloric intake of everything you eat, why would your children do anything different? If you have a healthy relationship with food and are eating healthy, balanced and nutritious meals every day, your children will be more likely to.

Replace Snacks

Kids like snacks. Plain and simple. And kids should be able to snack. One of the best ways to change your child’s diet for the better is to replace all of their unhealthy snacks like (cookies, chips, and sweets) with healthier items like fruit, vegetables, and granola bars. It is an easy swap that can have a major impact on your child’s diet, while still making sure they are getting plenty of food every day.

Get Active—And Make it a Family Activity

Staying active is one of the best ways for any kid to maintain a healthy weight, and to get healthy and stay healthy as well. Whether kids are joining a school sports team, exercising with their parents, going to the gym, playing in community sports and games—there are so many ways for kids to get active and stay active. Children should be getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

If you have questions about healthy weight management for your child, then the team here at Continuum Pediatrics can help.  You can schedule an appointment by calling 817-617-8600. We are here to help your kids get to and maintain a healthy weight, no matter what challenges they may be facing.