What if my child is overweight?
It is not always easy to say that our child is overweight, because we often tend to think that these pounds will eventually disappear in adolescence. It’s not always the case. Overweight must be taken care of by specialists. It must be stopped before the consequences endanger the health of the child, and especially his growth.
How do I know if my child is overweight?
It is sometimes difficult to identify that a child is overweight. Indeed, many children and pre-teens lose all the extra pounds when they go through a growth spurt. But, it is important to check if these kilos which one thinks will disappear do not endanger his health and his growth.
To recognize an overweight child, it is then necessary to calculate his BMI . The WHO has established growth standards for a child (1) , which notably take BMI into account. Be careful, the growth curve is not the same for a child as for an adult . For example, a BMI of 15 in a 10-year-old child corresponds to normal corpulence, whereas an adult will be undernourished.
You can also refer to the general average established by years of studies and statistics. From the age of 5 , a child must take on average between 1.5 and 2 kilos per year .
Medical consultation and overweight factors
An overweight child must be taken care of, but you must know the causes of these superfluous kilos . Knowing that each child has its own rhythm of development, the causes can be multiple and can be resolved simply over time.
However, it is useful to make an appointment with a doctor or pediatrician to identify the reasons for being overweight. This will allow you to take control of the situation and take action. Sometimes the reasons can be medical and only specialists will be able to diagnose a problem. Overweight or obesity can, for example, lead to certain types of childhood diabetes if the weight gain is not stopped in time.
A doctor can also refer you to other specialists if you are unable to find a solution to curb your child’s overweight. Some nutritionists specialize in overweight children or childhood diabetes. Your child will benefit from regular monitoring . Also, he may be less embarrassed to talk about his weight issues with someone outside the family circle .
Solutions to avoid overweight in a child
In most cases, being overweight is due to an excess of calories ingested in relation to the daily physical activity of the child . Minimize sweets without depriving it completely. Talk to him about an extracurricular sports activity to allow him to let off steam, burn enough calories and make friends. If he is not very athletic, set up weekly walks during the weekend and encourage your child to favor walking.
- Eat meals at fixed times and with your family.
- Avoid distractions like TV.
- Prioritize discussion.
- Increase fruit and vegetable rations.
- Finally, reduce all foods based on saturated fats and refined sugars , these are real calorie bombs.
The most important thing is to discuss with your child the reasons for being overweight. Don’t make him feel guilty, but together find solutions that may suit him. Depriving him of his pleasures overnight can have consequences for his well-being.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.