How to Help Kids Loose Midsection Body Fat in a Healthy Way
Belly fat in babies is cute. Excessive belly fat in your 9-year-old is not. Excessive midsection body fat in your child can lead to a shorter life span, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, high blood pressure and stroke as the kids age. A 2004 study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry shows a 65 percent increase of belly fat in kids since 1999. There are two types of belly fat children can have: cutaneous fat and visceral fat. The fat just below the skin is cutaneous and does not worry researchers as much as visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat you find around your middle and around your organs. Metabolized visceral fat circulates in your bloodstream as cholesterol. Cholesterol forms plaque in the bloodstream. These plaques attach themselves to artery walls slowly building up and eventually blocking arteries leading to an array of health problems. Children who are overweight and eat diets high in saturated fats such as butter, fried foods and meat fat have more visceral fat. What can you do to help your child loose the belly bulge? While there are very interesting suggestions to help kids loose the visceral fat (slimming teas, drinking coconut oil, drinking cabbage soup), the old fashioned recommendations are the best: exercise, diet and parental involvement.
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Instructions
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Encourage your child to do aerobic exercise 30-60 minutes a day. According to the American Heart Association, increasing your child's physical activity is common in all weight loss programs. Your child does not have to be a super athlete to begin to walk the dog or dance in the front room. Other aerobic exercises include running, swimming and playing sports. Limit time on the computer and in front of the TV to one hour a day to encourage kids to get up and move.
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The American Heart Association also recommends reducing the amount of calories children eat. One suggestion is to eliminate sweetened beverages like soda, juice and sports drinks. Consumption of sweetened drinks can add up to 500 calories a day for most kids. Limit high-calorie dairy foods and desserts.
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Children, especially young ones, want to be like their parents. Be a model for your kids. Exercise with your kids. Take them with you to walk or to the gym. They learn from parents what to eat, so have salad instead of French fries. Make a healthy lifestyle a family affair.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't decide to change diet and add a major exercise program all at once. Make changes slow and gradual and your child will be more inclined to go along with the changes.
Make it fun. Involve kids in meal planning and cooking.
