Nutrition Tips for Your Overweight School-Aged Child

More and more American children are overweight and over fat. Not only do they have difficulty fitting into an ideal size, they are at an increased risk for poor health and a future of chronic disease. The reasons children develop weight problems is multi-faceted. For some, it’s genetics others it’s environmental. Often, however, it’s a combination of the two. The bottom line is these children are taking in too many calories from the food they eat and expending too few calories through physical activity.

Here’s what you can do to help your overweight child:
Help your child grow into his or her current body weight rather than encourage weight loss. Weight loss is not healthy in growing children.

• Establish eating habits that will help your child grow and develop normally while keeping his or her body weight in line. Limiting fat and sugar in the diet will help keep calories in check. Consuming a variety of foods will ensure your child gets all the nutrients he or she needs for normal growth and development.

• Encourage daily physical activity and help make it enjoyable. Watching TV or playing computer/video games only encourages inactivity and possibly over eating because most kids like to eat when they are in front of the “screen”.

• Use friendly encouragement to assist your child in making healthier food choices instead of forcing them. Also, try to educate at the same time you make suggestions instead choosing a power struggle.

• Try a positive approach when making suggestions—right food choices instead of the wrong ones.

• Get to know your child’s eating habits away from home and plan home meals and snacks to achieve balanced diet goals.

• Encourage family physical activity. After dinner plan a neighborhood walk or bike ride.

• Encourage foods from all the food groups to gain nutrition and variety. Whole grain breads, grains, and cereals; fruits and vegetables; low fat or nonfat dairy products; lean well trimmed meats, skinless poultry, fish, dried beans, peas, and nuts.

Healthy At-Home Meal Suggestions Breakfast

• Whole grain toast with small amount peanut butter and jam/jelly or honey
• Ready-to-eat whole grain cereal with low fat milk and fruit
• Cooked hot whole grain cereal with fruit
• Omelets made with one egg and egg substitute or egg whites
• Low fat yogurt with fruit salad and/or whole grain cereal or low fat granola
• Low fat whole grain waffles or pancakes with fruit and low fat yogurt

Dinner

• Steamed or raw vegetables with low fat dressing or yogurt dip, garden salad with low fat dressing
• Baked white or sweet potato with low fat plain yogurt and chives
• Brown rice, barley, or whole wheat pasta
• Eat at least one meatless meal a week: rice and beans; pasta with meatless tomato sauce and plenty of vegetables, soft tacos with beans, tomatoes, red pepper, and low fat cheese
• Eat at least two skinless poultry or fish meals a week: broiled fish, chicken cutlets or homemade chicken nuggets, turkey tenderloin.

Food Substitution Chart: