How to Offer Obese Children Healthy Eating Alternatives

When a child is labeled obese by a pediatrician, chances are good that it's not a surprise. Weight has obviously been an issue, but to hear the diagnosis can fill parents with a sense of failure and guilt. It's never too late to change and the way to start is to offer obese children healthy eating alternatives to alter longtime habits and raise a happier, healthier child.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Gain control of the foods you buy and offer. Starting at the grocery store, limit the amount of junk food you purchase. Bring your child with you to the store so that he can offer input about the choices you make. But be clear before leaving for the store what treats you'll allow so that there are no unpleasant scenes when you get there, and ask him to suggest healthy alternatives he enjoys.
2. Watch what your child drinks. It's all too easy to slip in excess calories by way of sugary drinks, juices and sodas. Because it's not technically eating, you might overlook the calorie intake of the liquids your child consumes. Limit the beverage choices to water and one cup of juice per day.
3. Stop hitting the drive-thru lanes. This step is vital to the health of your obese child. You need to realize that you're dealing with a real health concern and that you need to make the time to reteach her eating habits. Eating high-fat foods on the fly isn't the way to do it, no matter how rushed for time you may be.
4. Turn off the television. Never allow television viewing during meals. Eating becomes a mindless habit rather than an activity in itself designed to nourish the body, as children help themselves to more food until the show is over.
5. Limit portion size. America is known for overeating due to large portions, especially in restaurants. When you're home eating as a family, make up the plates at the stove, rather than setting the food out on the table. Dish out proper serving sizes.
6. Shift the focus at family meals. Make it a point to eat together as a family at least every evening at dinner. This way, you can make the focus of mealtime your shared time together rather than what's on the plate. Spend more time chatting in between bites to make the meal last longer; your child will be forced to eat slower, which is a healthy habit to adopt.
7. Pack a healthier school lunch. While it's easy to make a sandwich from bologna, turkey or ham, processed meats are packed with sodium and fat. A healthier alternative to cold cuts would be a pre-grilled chicken breast on whole wheat bread. When you're packing the lunchbox, skip the potato chips, cookies and breakfast bars, too. Offer fruit instead.

Tips & Warnings

• Get off the couch and start exercising with your child. Start taking a walk when she gets home from school or in the morning before you both leave the house for the day.
• If you find that your obese child can't limit his number of treats per week, don't buy them at all. It's too much temptation and you need to support his efforts.