Battling the Bulge: Help! My Kid Needs to Lose Weight

With childhood obesity affecting one in three kids nationwide, First Lady Michelle Obama recently launched a nationwide anti-obesity campaign. Meanwhile, our kids’ constant attachment to things that flash, beep, buzz and Tweet but don’t require any physical activity has led to a generation of young waistlines that are expanding faster than you can say “French fries.” But what is really going on?

“I think that more moms are relying on convenience foods -- it’s easier. When I was a kid, my mother had to call us in and say ‘dinner time,’” says “Dietitian in the Kitchen” Diane Henderiks, R.D.  “Kids don’t run down the street like they used to. They’re now playing video games, on their phones, and spending time in front of the television.”

If your tween or teen is currently overweight, here are some simple tips to get her or him (and the rest of the family) in shape:

• • Focus on a role model: When JJ’s son was overweight, she helped him to find an athlete that he liked and focus on how that person is living and eating. But don’t make a huge deal of it when talking to your kid. “Especially for girls, it can create some real problems if you focus on their weight in the wrong way,” JJ says.
•  
• • Keep your kid’s bedroom technology free: According to research published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, all those gadgets in your kids’ bedroom are actually decreasing their sleep. Kids older than 10 need at least nine hours.
•  
• • Get the whole family involved:  Be sure to set the example – eat healthy and exercise yourself. “The most important thing is that the whole family has the same rules,” Dr. Natterson says.
•  
• • Keep healthy food in the house: Put a ban on sodas, be sure to keep plenty of fruit and healthy snacks around. Keep treats to a minimum.
•  
• • Take it slow: “I tell him my son to eat slowly,” says Diane. “It takes 20 minutes for your body to realize that it’s full.”
•  
• • Focus on foods not body weight: “The biggest challenge is that their body image is whacked in the first place, and this is their vainest age,” JJ says. “Focus on the foods that they need to eat to help them look good and feel good – and for their skin to look good. Be sure to get them involved in a sport that they love.” 

Since you’ll be exercising with your kids, take the time as a welcome opportunity to bond and chat. “For preteens, it’s really important because it gives parents an opportunity to check in with their kids on a regular basis,” Dr. Natterson says.