How can we prevent childhood obesity?

Preventions:

To help prevent more weight gain in your child, you can:

Set a good example:

Children learn at home and follow the elders’ routine. Following a  healthy lifestyle with proper diet and regular exercise can impact positively in the children’s mind. Everyone will have good things and no one will feel singled out.

Have healthy snacks available:

Options which may have air popped popcorn without butter, fruits with low fat yogurt, baby carrots with hummus, or whole grain cereal with low fat milk. 

Offer new foods multiple times:

Children don’t accept new foods easily. But you should not get discouraged by the same. It usually takes more exposure to a food to gain acceptance.  

Choose nonfood rewards:

Discourage rewarding food like candy or ice cream. Instead, buying books, pens or pencils for good behavior is a good idea. 

Be sure the child gets enough sleep:

Little sleep may increase the risk of obesity. Sleep deprivation can cause the hormonal imbalances that lead to increased appetite. 

Increase physical activity:

Increase the child level of physical activity to help them shed weight safely. Playing hopscotch outside for example may be more appealing than jogging around the block. 

More family activities:

Find activities the entire family can enjoy together. This is not only a great way to bond, but it also helps the child learn everything from family. Hiking, swimming, or even playing tag can help the child get active and start on the path to a healthier weight.