It’s all over the news. Childhood obesity is a terrible problem. The risks are high: heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, and more. There are also psychological risks- social discrimination and teasing can’t be ignored.
As parents, we want the best for our kids. Research shows that the problem is based on parents passing bad habits down and low access to healthy foods. We know it’s hard, but we have to be the gatekeepers of our children’s health. It may involve breaking some of our own personal bad habits to lead by example.
Tips for better health:
1. Portion size- don’t over serve, research the appropriate serving size for your size child. Find some printable charts here.
2. Limit sugary beverages- Make soft drinks or juices a special occasion drink. We reserve them for restaurants, and even then we water them down.
3. Use low-fat or non-fat dairy products.
4. Drink water!
5. Provide veggies, fruits, and whole-grains- steaming broccoli only takes a few minutes, buy seasonal to save money, use the colors of the rainbow encourage kids to eat a variety of foods. Hide the veggies if you have to. Just remember, kids that are exposed to healthier foods will eventually eat those foods. It just might take some time.
6. Have Meatless Mondays- saves money and is healthy too.
If you have picky eaters, visit our Parenting with a PhD article on food struggles for more tips and tricks on getting them to try something new!
