Dealing With Childhood Obesity With Good Nutrition

You would have to be hiding with your head in the sand not to notice the obesity epidemic in America today. In fact, obesity rates have doubled in the last twenty years, and in children the rate has tripled, according to research conducted by the American Dietetic Association. Obesity is much more than simply a cosmetic problem. Being significantly overweight causes serious health problems, and when obesity starts in childhood, it often sets the child up for a lifetime of poor health.

While obesity can be hereditary, there are many steps a parent can take to keep their child from becoming obese, even if there is a genetic predisposition towards the condition. The most important factor leading to today's obese children is poor nutrition. Snack food is readily available, and often full of refined sugars that contain no nutritional value. 

In order to encourage your children to eat properly, start feeding them high quality food that is full of nutritional value at an early age. As the children age, model proper eating behavior. Encourage your children to eat slowly at meals and enjoy their food. Parents who urge their children to finish their meals quickly are setting them up for poor eating habits in later life. The slower a child eats, the less food he will consume. 

One particular problem we face in America is the use of food as a reward. When children do well in school or behave properly at the store they are rewarded with candy or ice cream treats. This teaches the child that food, especially sweet, fattening foods, are emotionally fulfilling. Consider rewarding your child with a small toy that they will enjoy for much longer than a treat. 

Have convenient, healthy foods on hand for quick snacks. Consider keeping some fruit salad sliced up in your fridge. A small amount of lemon juice will keep the fruit from browning. Carrot sticks are another satisfying snack. For a sweet treat, freeze some pure fruit juice into a tasty Popsicle. A fruit smoothie with pure yogurt is another desert option that is high in nutritional value.

While it may not be impossible, or necessary, to avoid fatty, sugary foods altogether in your child's diet, it is best if they are a rare treat. This will teach your child to look for foods that provide solid sources of fuel for their bodies. Then, when the birthday cake or Christmas treat comes around, they can enjoy some sugar, and you do not have to worry about the health risks because you know that their normal diet is healthy and nutritious.

Healthy foods are a good source of energy, especially for children.  Children who eat foods that are fatty and sugary have less energy and are less inclined to be as active as those children that eat nutritious foods.  More activity means more calories burned which, in turn, helps to keep children at a healthy weight.  The more nutritious a child's food intake is, the more likely they will be to play in order to burn off their healthy energy.

To learn extra educational knowledge go here Childhood Obesity Concerns with more helpful material at Diets That Work For Obese Children also head on over to Obesity In Young Children