How to Lose Fat for Kids
Are you a kid who would like to lose fat? Or a parent who is concerned about a child's weight gain? All children should focus on being healthy, and excessive weight loss is never optimal. In fact, most kids do not need to diet. However, there are times when losing weight can be important, even for a kid. Best of all, it's a bit easier for kids to lose weight in the long term, as long as they're still growing in height.
Instructions
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Check the kid's body mass index (BMI) to ensure that weight loss is a positive goal. If the child's BMI is below the 84th percentile, the child should not be trying to lose weight. Instead, the child should be eating a nutritious mix of different food groups and be getting adequate exercise--just like all children and adults.
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Make sure that the kid is getting a balanced diet, including foods from each of the food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy products, protein-rich foods and grains.
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Ensure that most of the kid's calories are from nutrient-rich sources. For example, replace whole milk with skim milk (for older children), white bread with whole grain bread, and fatty meats with lean meats.
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Encourage your kid to exercise--but make it fun! Kids shouldn't be joining gyms or running on the treadmill. Have your kid try a sports team, a marching band, a gymnastics troupe or a dance class.
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Check with your child's doctor about any and all changes you make to your child's diet.
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Tips & Warnings
Note that as a child grows, his BMI may change, but his percentile may stay the same. This is because a child is still growing taller and experiences different changes during different life stages.
Fad diets are often very unhealthy for kids. Do not put your child on a diet without the approval of a pediatrician.
