Raising Healthy Kids: 10 Tips to help your child with weight issues

Childhood Obesity: 10 Useful tips to help your child deal with weight issues

Shelina Assomull

14 Feb 2018

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1 – Be sensitive when discussing weight issues
You should not sit down and have that big talk with your child about their weight issues. After all, doing so will really put them down. Be mindful that using words like 'fat' or 'thin' are a bad idea. Labeling your child with these sets them up for judging themselves about their weight. Instead, gradually talk to your child about how you'd like to make certain healthier changes in the household, and how you can both work on being more nutritious together. Doing this will ensure that they gradually come to terms with the idea they are hoping to lose a little weight, instead of becoming worried they are "fat."
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2 – Involve them in cooking
Home cooking is the greatest way to know what's in your food, and getting the kids involved is a way to educate them! Get them to help you shop at the supermarket, and explain the benefits of foods. Learning about what is good for them is the best way to get them eating right on their own.
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3 – Do pre-plate meals
Instead of serving food, and then allowing everyone to help themselves - perhaps to too many seconds - serve their plates before-hand. This allows you to give your child a reasonably sized meal, and they won't feel tempted to overeat. Doing the same for everyone else at home will again, allow your child to avoid being singled out in need of a diet.
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4 – Make breakfast a habit
The most important meal of the day: Avoid super-sugary cereals. These lack nutritional value, and set your child up for a sugary day ahead. Swap for cereals made high in oats and fruit.
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5 – Adopt the ‘five-a-day’ rule
Are you having your 'five a day'? Didn't think so... People forget this age old rule to live by, but it really works. Replacing bad foods with vegetables will make a difference faster than you expect. Make it a competition of who will have their five a day today, to make veggies a little more fun.
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6 – Don’t watch the scales
Getting your child to frequently weigh themselves at such a young age, risks them becoming obsessed with the number. At that age, they are unlikely to realise the significance of this number or what other factors can influence it. Rather than explain how scales work, explain how diet works. You don't want them to be fixated on the scales so young.
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7 – Avoid using food as a reward or punishment
This automatically makes them take preference of some foods over others. Rewarding them with a chocolate and punishing them with broccoli will only remind them that they prefer chocolate to broccoli, which is the mentality you want to shift.
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8 – Make healthy eating a family habit
Having your child on a diet while everyone in the house munches on junk food is really going to isolate your child and make them feel different. In order to avoid this, and promote a healthy household, everyone at home should adopt your child's new eating habits. If everyone is enjoying more nutritious food together, your child won't feel so scared about their need to lose weight.
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9 – Make exercise a family culture
Just as food habits should be shared, exercise should be too. Getting your children into exercise from a young age is important in them maintaining healthy lifestyles. However, it's hard for them to see the benefits of it if mum and dad are always on the sofa. Family exercise outings are great way for your child to learn to enjoy exercise, and begin a healthier lifestyle.
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10 – Always keep a healthy kitchen
Temptation is a killer to any diet - no matter how old you are. Having sweet treats around the house is a big tease for your little one. To get them adjusted to a more nutritious diet stock healthier options like nuts and dried fruit, as opposed to sweets and crisps. They need to get used to having these kinds of things at home, instead of sugary snacks being the norm.

1 - Be sensitive when discussing weight issues

It’s hard to talk to your child about their weight at a young age. Here’s how to handle things without hurting their feelings.

Childhood obesity and weight issues is an incredibly sensitive topic. Not only is it important to tackle childhood obesity for health reasons (and even bullying concerns), but also for your child’s self-esteem.

Unfortunately, childhood obesity is an issue. According to SingHealth, 11% of Singaporean children are obese or overweight which while 41 million children worldwide under the age of 5 were overweight or obese, as of 2016.

It is never easy to tell your child they need to watch what they eat or that they need to diet. Studies show that how parents talk about weight with their children will often affect how the child see themselves – so being sensitive is key!

As such, we have listed some tips for you to consider when tackling your child’s weight or eating habits. Not only are they great for parents struggling with this issue, but also those looking to promote a healthy lifestyle at home and for their kids, no matter their size.

Shelina Assomull

Photo: Unsplash/Pixabay

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