| Managing early childhood obesity can be easier than | | | | whether intensive medical intervention would be |
| you think. This is especially true if you are aware of | | | | needed. A competent dietitian or nutritionist on the |
| the peculiarities of childhood obesity. Once you are | | | | other hand, can devise a workable meal plan for your |
| aware of these details, there are many things you can | | | | child so you can slowly reverse his unhealthy eating |
| do as a parent to stop it form ruining your child's life. | | | | habits. |
| The chances of obesity continuing into adulthood are a | | | | Weight assessment |
| very real threat to your child's physical health and | | | | Not every large child is overweight; sometimes, |
| mental state. Low self esteem and self-confidence | | | | genetics plays a role in giving some children larger |
| can develop because of how society treats obese | | | | bodily frames than others. A child with a large |
| individuals. You can take these steps now to prevent | | | | abdomen, for example, does not necessarily mean |
| this from happening. | | | | that he has an unhealthy level of body fat. That can |
| Identify the root of the problem | | | | only be confirmed through a weight assessment that |
| In order to manage early childhood obesity, you must | | | | would be done at your doctor's office or at a hospital. |
| first carefully observe your child's lifestyle. Some | | | | A person's BMI or body mass index is an accurate |
| questions that might be able to help you are: | | | | guide to determining whether a person is already |
| * How many times does the child eat in a day? What | | | | obese and would be a helpful too in managing early |
| does the child eat throughout the day? | | | | childhood obesity. Do not be mistaken- adult BMI |
| * Is the child experiencing any problems at school, | | | | indexes are not consulted when determining whether a |
| either with their schoolmates or with school work? | | | | child is clinically obese. What doctors or health care |
| * What does the child normally do when their relaxed, | | | | providers do is they compute your child's body mass |
| at home? Does the child play computer games or | | | | index and compares it to the average BMI of children |
| watch TV often? How long does the child do these | | | | in his age and height range. If your child's BMI is |
| activities? | | | | significantly different, then obesity can be taken as a |
| * Does the child exercise? If he/she does, for how | | | | possibility. Family history and your child's unique physical |
| long and how often do they exercise? | | | | development are also taken into account to provide a |
| By asking these questions, you can create a fairly | | | | more accurate picture for managing early childhood |
| accurate picture of your child's general lifestyle. This | | | | obesity. |
| lifestyle profile would also help identify the reasons for | | | | If weight control is recommended by your health care |
| your child's overeating, which makes the task of | | | | provider, it would be a wise decision to begin investing |
| managing early childhood obesity easier. Relay this | | | | in your child's physical fitness. Enrolling him in fun |
| information to your doctor and to a registered | | | | classes like Martial Arts and other related disciplines |
| nutritionist. The doctor, after evaluating your child's | | | | can be helpful in naturally reducing his weight and |
| physical health, height, and weight would tell you | | | | unhealthy appetite. |