In the diet for overweight children, it is recommended to prioritize the consumption of natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins. On the other hand, it is important to avoid eating foods high in sugar and fat, such as cakes, ice cream, chips and packaged snacks.
Furthermore, it is recommended that parents or guardians also get involved in changing the child’s habits, trying to eat meals together at the table and participating in physical activities and games, such as jumping rope or scavenger hunts, outdoors.
To find out if the child is overweight, it is important to have periodic consultations with the pediatrician or a general practitioner to check the child’s general health, as well as weight, height and waist circumference.
What a child’s diet should be like to lose weight
To help lose weight, a child’s diet must be balanced, prioritizing the intake of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products, which will help with the child’s satiety and weight loss, including the following tips:
- Avoid buying and offering processed foods, such as cookies, soft drinks, cakes and frozen ready meals, sweets, snacks, fast food or ice cream, as they are rich in sugar and fat;
- Prioritize lean meats, such as chicken, eggs, tofu and fish;
- Offer 3 servings of fresh fruit throughout the day, such as banana, orange, strawberry, kiwi, persimmon, grapes, papaya, tangerine and melon;
- Do not let your child skip meals, maintaining a 3-hour interval between meals, which include breakfast, morning and afternoon snacks, lunch and dinner;
- Include 2 servings of fresh vegetables a daysuch as green beans, chayote, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplant and mushrooms;
- Prioritize whole grains, such as wholemeal bread, brown rice or wholemeal pasta;
- Prepare food by steaming, stewing, roasting or grillingavoiding fried foods and foods with sauces;
- Do not offer soft drinks, giving preference to water and natural, sugar-free fruit juices;
- Give plenty of pure water throughout the day, as many children only know they are thirsty when they are almost dehydrated and can confuse hunger with thirst;
- Maintain the same diet for the whole family (except in cases of illness), as the child feels like eating what their sibling, parents or guardians also eat;
- Avoid using salt and sugar in meals and not putting salt shakers and sugar bowls on the table;
- Buy a child-sized plateas it helps control the amount of the child’s meal;
- Avoid distractions during the meal, without using a television, cell phone, tablet or computer at the table.
Furthermore, it is essential that parents or guardians have as many meals as possible at the table with the child, to strengthen affectionate relationships and to learn or relearn how to eat calmly, chew food well, feeling the flavors and different textures and even know how to recognize if they are already full or if they are still hungry.
Menu to help children lose weight
The following table provides an example of a 3-day menu to help your child lose weight:
It is important to note that the amount of food and calories varies according to the child’s age, weight and health status. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a nutritionist to develop a meal plan according to the child’s nutritional needs.
How to know if your child is overweight
To find out if you are overweight, the ideal is for the child to be evaluated by a pediatrician or general practitioner, to check their eating habits, weight, height and waist circumference.
To check on a daily basis whether the child is overweight, you can also observe some signs, such as:
- Ronco during or are;
- Tiredness even after sleeping for many hours;
- Shortness of breath at times throughout the day;
- Tiredness after performing simple activities, such as climbing stairs or walking to the bus stop.
In addition to observing the signs, it is important to evaluate the child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) to check whether they are within the ideal weight for their age. To do this, enter the child’s weight, height and age into the calculator below:
If the BMI result is above the recommended level, it is important that the pediatrician is consulted to ensure the child’s healthy development, avoiding health problems such as diabetes, obesity or heart disease.
Childhood is a stage of life in which there should be no nutrient restrictions and, therefore, it is also important to consult a nutritionist, to carry out a complete nutritional assessment and create a food plan suitable for your lifestyle habits and needs. of child.
Causes of childhood overweight and obesity
The causes of overweight and obesity in children are related to inadequate nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle and lifestyle habits that are maintained at home. Genetic factors and hormonal changes are the least contributing factors to excess weight.
Thus, the main factors that favor overweight and obesity in children are:
1. Inadequate nutrition
One of the main factors related to childhood obesity is inadequate nutrition, when a person eats more food than they need to live and uses little energy. Thus, the body stores these extra calories for future needs, in the form of fat, first in the belly and then throughout the body.
2. Sedentary life
Not exercising regularly causes the body’s metabolism to be low. Thus, the body uses fewer calories than the person ingests, favoring weight gain. Nowadays, children have become more sedentary, preferring electronic games, computers and TV, which, combined with excessive eating, leads to excess weight.
3. Genetic changes
Although very rare, genetic inheritance can influence weight. Having obese parents makes their children more likely to become obese because they seem to pass on genes that influence weight, body fat distribution, energy expenditure and the chances of gaining weight.
However, environmental and behavioral factors, including physical activity, diet and family environment, are the factors that have most contributed to overweight and obesity.
How to treat overweight
The treatment of overweight or obesity in children must be done gradually and under the guidance of a pediatrician and a nutritionist, and in some cases, psychological support may also be necessary.
Typically, treatment for childhood overweight or obesity is based on changes in the child’s eating habits. Sometimes the eating habits of the entire family also need to be modified, as the food served to the child is usually the same type of food that parents, siblings and other family members eat.
Furthermore, to help your child lose weight, it is recommended to increase daily physical activity levels. It is important that the entire family or those responsible for the child also get involved in dance, football or volleyball activities, for example, as this encourages the child to acquire and maintain new habits. See some exercises recommended for children.
In rarer cases, your doctor may recommend the use of medication to help reduce your appetite, reduce the absorption of fat from food, or treat a disease caused by being overweight or obese.
Check out some tips from our nutritionist to help your child lose weight:
How can children expend more energy
Regular physical activity is essential to help your child lose weight. Some tips to help parents or guardians encourage exercise include:
- Limit computer and television use to up to 2 hours per day;
- Look for activities that the child likes to do;
- Encourage the family to regularly participate in outdoor activities with the child;
- Allow the child to try various activities, such as judo, swimming, karate, football or dance, for example, which need to be done for at least 60 minutes a day.
These tips prevent children from maintaining a sedentary lifestyle, helping to lose excess weight and prevent some diseases.
