Weight Loss Programs For Kids
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If you are worried about your child because you think they may be overweight, you need to get all the facts. It could be just part of the growth cycle where your child puts on weight before shooting up in height. Or it could be due to other reasons that need to be addressed as early as possible. Always include your doctor in any research and decision making as they are experts in your childs growth.
Below is some information on weight loss for kids that will help you get informed.
Due to the changing lifestyle we all lead occurring over the last few decades, people are becoming less active and have access to a larger range of high energy foods that is resulting in people and in particular kids, putting on weight, and finding it hard to lose it.
Weight loss for kids can be difficult, but before you embark on a weight loss program you need to determine if the childs weight is actually a problem as kids go through a lot of changes at different points in their development which result in weight gain.
However, it is important to determine if a kid is overweight, and take action early, as it is now more common for obese and overweight kids to suffer from illnesses that were only ever suffered from adults, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Statistically, it has also been shown that obese and overweight kids are more likely to be obese and overweight as adults.
There is no normal weight for a kid. Every child develops at different rates, and also has different body types. Therefore at the same age, some kids will be taller, more muscular, and / or differently shaped to other kids. As kids grow this will continue to change.
During puberty, especially, the body produces hormones that help kids with their development, which can result in a roller coaster ride in weight gain and growth in height. This is natural and needs to be taken into account.
Some kids start this development as early as 8 years of age while some may start as late as 14 years old. Therefore, kids of the same age will invariably differ in their development, depending on where they are in the growth cycle, resulting in different weights.
There is a way that you can measure if a kid is in the healthy weight range. You need to measure the kids BMI or Body Mass Index. The Body Mass Index calculates the bodys fat content based on the kids weight and height. To get a precise reading it is recommended that you go to your doctor, as they can get accurate height and weight measurements and take into account the childs current development. All important to get an accurate reading.
There is a different BMI chart for boys under 20 and for girls under 20 as they have different levels of body fat which needs to be taken into account. The BMI chart is broken into different percentiles to determine if a kid is obese, overweight, normal weight or underweight.
Get a copy of the Body Mass Index chart for kids and a weight height chart for kids here.
Genes, or the childs heredity, also has an impact on where the kid stores fat, body shape and predisposition to putting on weight. However, if you exercise and eat right, you can go a long way to controlling weight. It sometimes comes down to the adults in the house to set a good example by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. If a good example is set, kids are more likely to follow. If a bad example is set, it makes it more difficult to help kids lose weight.
It is also important for adults in the kids life to be supportive and help the child develop a good self image, as a negative self image, especially with regards to weight, is had to change. Positive self esteem is important in any childs weight loss program.