Am I overweight?

Am I overweight? Is this a question you have heard your child ask?  Child obesity is causing society to take another look t the problems associated with child obesity. Weight problems for adults and children alike have underlying causes and when it is a child's diet that has gone out of control; our society might want to ask itself if the child is in charge or the parent. Dieting is not easy for anyone and when a child is placed under some fairly strict guidelines of do's and don'ts, they will have their days that they "fall off the wagon" by indulging in that ice cream at school, and you know what….that is actually good for them, so don't scold too hard. The American Medical Association has been trying to address the issue of overweight children for about 15 years now, but the problem continues to grow. Society is not accepting of overweight people. Children are particularly cruel to each other when a child is overweight and the butt of jokes among their peers. Let's examine some of the reasons and some helpful guidelines to get your child back into the best of health for their whole body.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that one of every five children is overweight, some to the point of obesity. This represents one fifth of all the children in the United States.  Taking control of your child's diet is easier said than done, but it can be done and fairly painlessly. Your child's body will crave the sweets for a while, but will start using the carbohydrates that are ingested on a balanced diet in a proper manner. Your child is up to a challenge and your child will look better, feel better, think clearer, and will be socially accepted in a way that does not happen when children are overweight. Take your child to their pediatrician and make sure that are not physical reasons that your child's body is overweight. There could be an underlying medical problem that needs to be addressed. Once you are sure that your child's body is functioning properly, get busy with a diet.

There are many reasons that people overeat, some it may be that they were never taught a proper diet. Others may eat to comfort themselves in times of high stress. A balanced diet is especially important for a child's developing body. Five fruits and vegetables per day are recommended. This should be along with a restriction on calories in the foods that are starchy, high in sugars and fats. Consult a health care professional before starting your child on a change of diet. They can guide you and assist to set up a diet that is healthy and will help your child get their weight under control and keep it under control. Diet is great, and then there is the exercise issue to add to this discussion. Children who sit in front of a game console, computer or television more than they do anything else are not healthy. Children's bodies need exercise just as much as an adult does to keep all systems go! Constipation, upset stomach, heartburn are all physical symptoms of the food that has been eaten is not digesting properly. Exercise relieves many of those symptoms.

Underlying reasons that a child would overeat is directed towards their emotional health. There are times when a child feels overwhelmed by social pressures, problems learning, or possibly problems at home and food has become their escape route to their comfort zone. Dealing with these issues as a concerned parent is very important to your child's whole body wellness. Dealing with the emotional issues that children face in childhood teaches them to seek solutions…it is the job of the parent to direct the search in healthy arenas.

When your child asks if they are overweight, if they are, be honest and then sit down with them and discuss what can be done to change their state of health. This will help empower your child to actively control of something in their life….but we are getting into some dangerous territory here as well. Children who cannot control other things in their lives have been known to take control of their diet either by overeating or starving themselves. Again, seek professional advice and get your child the help they need to cope with the stresses of life. Parents are not the only victims of stress, children are also.

Teaching your child to make healthy choices in diet to prevent overweight and to continue to develop a strong and healthy body is the job of Mom and Dad. Breakfast that consists of one slice of toast, a glass of juice or piece of fruit, and a one cup serving of cereal with milk and at least 6 more ounces of milk to drink is a good breakfast. Morning is especially important in a child's diet because their brains need immediate fuel in school. A small snack of chopped fruits and vegetables is great to help your child make it through the morning and wait for lunch. Given a healthy alternative to junk food fillers, surprisingly, most kids will go for the fruit and veggies if they are introduced to them as snack items very early in their lives. If they are older, they can be taught that this is the proper way to eat. Junk food is just that- junk. None of the foods in the junk food section are good for your child, but a fruit roll up that is made with all natural fruits and no added sugars is great to tuck into the pocket and eat at break time between classes. Helping our children make healthy choices is part of the responsibility each parent has to their children.

Diets, exercise, someone to talk to about problems that are bothering them are essential to healthy growth in your child's life. Some health care practitioners will recommend that your child take dietary supplements to help them lose weight. If the overweight problem is very severe to the point of obesity, that is an option, but here is also a word of caution, children get very dependant on these supplements and so do their bodies. Their systems are not mature enough to handle some of the ingredients for dietary supplements that are meant for adult strength doses. Be cautious what you allow your child to ingest. Do your research, it is much wiser to be safe than sorry. Smaller doses are needed for a child. Their bodies cannot handle full strength dosages meant for adults.

Here are some healthy snacks that children can grab on the run and take outside as they play:

Small boxes of raisins

A handful of chopped fruits and vegetables