Obesity is a major problem here in the United States, and many other countries for that matter, with close to 40% of the population considered obese. It is a particular problem among children. Over the past couple of decades childhood obesity has more than doubled in the US. The key factors contributing to this rise in obesity among children are lack of healthy foods in their diets, little knowledge about healthy eating, and a major decline in physical activity.

So what can parents do to help ensure their child doesn’t become part of this statistic? Here a few helping tips for keeping your child healthy.

  • Don’t force your child to clean his plate at every meal. This was a big thing when I was growing up; we always had to finish everything on our plates. However, a big part of weight control is portion management. If you child is full you shouldn’t force him to eat more as this teaches your child bad eating habits and forces him to over eat.
  • Avoid using food as a reward or a means of comfort. Try to find another form of reward for your child. This can contribute to over eating and eating the wrong kinds of food, particularly if the reward is a high fat, high sugar item. If children learn at a young age to associate food with comfort and reward they will carry this into adulthood.
  • Focus on feeding your family a healthy diet. Involve your children in the food purchasing and preparation so they learn early what foods are good for them, and learn to appreciate the importance of a balanced diet.
  • Encourage your child to participate in some form of physical activity every day. Do something together as a family like go for a walk or a bike ride. Talk to your child about the importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.
  • Limit the amount of time your child spends doing sedentary activities like watching television and playing video games. These activities are ok sometimes but not as a substitute to good physical activity.

The more your child learns about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the importance of a healthy diet and exercise the better off they will be. Preventing obesity is so important as it will help prevent many preventable childhood illnesses that are contributed to obesity, such as diabetes. Healthy living starts young, and those habits you learn as a child carrying into adulthood, so help your child start out with good habits.

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