What You Can Do If Your Toddler Is Overweight
According to a recent study, around 17% of kids, between the ages of 2 to 19, are considered obese. This percentage is very high compared to what it used to be, and it continues to keep rising. If you have a toddler that appears to be overweight, and if you are concerned about it, you might want to talk to your pediatrician about it. Here are several things to understand about toddlers and obesity.
The Reasons Kids Today Are Overweight
There are a number of reasons that can explain why kids today have a harder time managing their weight, and some of the reasons include the types of foods they eat and the lack of exercise they get. Additionally, kids can be obese for health reasons as well. If your child is overweight, the first thing you should find out is if the child is actually considered overweight based on the test doctors use. This test typically measures a child's body-mass index BMI to determine if the child is a normal weight or overweight. To calculate a child's BMI, a doctor will use the child's height and weight. This will help you and the doctor know if there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
What You Can Do
As a parent, you have control over certain parts of your child's life, especially if you are a stay-at-home parent. Once a child goes to school, you will lose some of that control though. At home, you can do things that may help your child lose some weight. A good first step to take is controlling what the child eats. If your child needs to lose weight, you might want to get rid of all the junk food and processed food you have in your home. You could substitute it with fresh vegetables and fruits, and you could try cooking healthier meals. You may also need to control the portion of food your child gets, if overeating is a problem.
A second good step to take is signing the child up for a sporting activity. If it is summer, you could enroll the child in swimming lessons. If it is soccer season, choose that. Getting your child moving around while eating healthier could have a great impact on the child's weight.
If this is something you are concerned with about your child, talk to a pediatrician. Your pediatrician can help you determine if there is a health problem that is causing this, or if there are other good steps you could take to help your child lose weight. To learn more, contact a pediatric clinic like Kitsap Children's Clinic LLP.
