NUTRITION ADVOCATE

In the process of helping your child to transcend from being overweight to having a normal weight, physical activity is one of the determinants in making this transition a success. As caring parents, you might ask, how can I help my child be more active? The first thing you need to do is to try and make physical activity fun for your child. Children need about 60 minutes of physical activity a day, although the activity doesn’t have to be all at once. Several short 10- or even 5-minute spurts of activity throughout the day are just as good. If your child is not used to being active, encourage him or her to start slowly and build up to 60 minutes a day. Also, you will need to always encourage daily activity in your child. Let them see the relevance of them being physically active. To encourage daily physical activity, parents can; Let your child choose a favorite activity to do regularly, such as climbing a jungle gym at the playground or joining a sports team or dance class. Help...

Being overweight makes children develop health problems, such as type II Diabetes Mellitus, asthma, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Some overweight children are constant victims of teasing, bullying, depression, and low self-esteem. Helping an overweight is not only important but also lifesaving. No parent wants her child to be sick. No parent wants her child to feel like an outcast in social situations, or be teased or bullied because of being overweight. Therefore, addressing weight challenges in children requires a coordinated plan of physical activities and healthy nutrition. Parents should not only wish for a healthy weight but must be actively involved in charting the course of their children toward it. The following actionable steps can guide parents in providing the necessary assistance for their overweight children in establishing and sustaining healthy eating habits. Since children are good learners and often duplicate what they see, be good role mod...