A parents guide
Is my child overweight a parents guide, HE-509, Reviewed and reprinted 1994 Joye M. Bond , Nutrition Specialist What's the "right" weight for my child? How did it happen? What are the dangers for an overweight child?
What can parents do to help a child who is overweight? Healthy food choices Want more information? Building self-esteem in the child with a weight problem Join the fun — Family Activity Ideas You may feel your child has a weight problem. is my child overweight a parents guide Perhaps your preschooler (3 to 5 years old) or school-age child (about 6 to 12 years old) appears to be on the heavy side.
What used to be cute is becoming a concern and you wonder whether this is just baby fat or the sign of eating too many calories. what is the right weight for my child,is my child overweight a parents guide, What's a parent to do? With compassion and patience, you can treat this growing problem. what’s the right weight for my childWhat's the "Right" Weight For My Child? Although your child may look too fat to you, his weight may be perfectly normal.
%%CUSTOMTOKEN28%%
It's natural for parents to want their children to be as perfect as possible, but when it comes to weight, "perfect" has to be broadly defined -- not easy in our thin-conscious society. what is the right weight for my child Children grow at different rates and may have body structures different from their siblings and friends. Children are not supposed to be shaped like miniature adults, either. Generally, compared to adults, children have longer legs and waists in proportion to the rest of their body.
To tell if your child's weight is too high, make an appointment with a doctor, nurse or registered dietitian. Your child's weight and height will be recorded on a standardized growth chart which is used with an examination of weight history, body build and past growth pattern to determine if your child's weight should concern you.
%%CUSTOMTOKEN28%%
How Did It Happen ? The ways children become overweight are as different as the children themselves. For some, being heavy is genetically determined. Research with twins who were adopted before the age of one showed that there was a strong link between the weight of the adopted children and their biological parents, while there was no relationship between the weight of the adoptive parents and adopted children.
Overweight kids are not necessarily overeaters. A child doesn't have to eat huge amounts of food to put on weight. An extra 200 calories a day (the amount in a small bag of corn chips) can cause your child to gain almost one-half pound a week. Overweight children tend to be less active, but it's hard to tell which comes first, the inactivity or the overweight. Some research shows an association between increased television viewing and over-weight children. Watching TV doesn't require much energy and is often accompanied by snacking on high-calorie foods. Infancy and early adolescence are two periods in a child's life when they gain fat faster than muscle.
This is normal, but overeating and underactivity during these times can make children vulnerable to excess weight gain. What are the Dangers for an Overweight Child? Overweight children can face serious problems. As youngsters, they are likely to suffer social and psychological stresses because they appear "different" from their peers. There are potential health problems as well, including increased risk of type II diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. What Can Parents do to Help a Child Who is Overweight? If your child is defined medically as overweight, a special challenge is presented to manage his weight, while maintaining growth.