How Can I Help My Seven Year Old Lose Some Weight?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 percent of 7 year olds are overweight. An article in the New York Times on Feb. 10, 2010, reported overweight children are twice as likely to die before the age of 55 from a variety of causes including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, infections and liver disease. Overweight children may experience the same health problems that plague overweight adults, including diabetes and high blood pressure. Additionally, other children may make fun of them and give them a hard time about their weight.

Instructions

• 1

  Schedule an appointment for your 7 year old with a pediatrician. Ask the pediatrician to check your child for any health problems that might contribute to weight gain or make losing weight difficult, like hypothyroidism. If your pediatrician discovers any health problems, follow treatment recommendations.

• 2

  Provide your child with a variety of healthful foods. Eat healthful foods to set a good example. Allow your child to help with grocery shopping and meal preparation, focusing on healthful food options.

• 3

  Count calories. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a moderately active 7 year old needs 1,400 to 1,600 calories a day. Don't obsess over counting calories or make your child count every calorie he puts in his mouth, but have a rough idea of how many calories your child is getting each day.

• 4

  Encourage your child to stop eating when she is full. Do not require her to "clean her plate."

• 5

  Give your child healthful snacks when he is hungry. If your child gets too hungry, he will be tempted to overeat at meal times or eat unhealthful snacks. Snacks like chips and candy will cause weight gain but fresh fruit and veggies will not.

• 6

  Encourage your child to engage in regular physical activity. Make exercise fun and a family activity. Take the family on hikes, bike rides, to the community pool and other activity-oriented outings.

• 7

  Limit television time for your child to less than two hours each day as recommended by the Surgeon General. Television time includes time spent playing video games as well as watching television. Encourage your child to engage in more active pursuits instead of watching television or playing video games.