As a parent, you're likely very concerned with the health of your child. If you're afraid that your child is too overweight, your concerns are justified. The number of overweight children has dramatically increased in recent years and the health consequences (physical and mental) are becoming worse. Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Sleep Apnea are just a few of the potentially life threatening conditions now being found more commonly in obese children. As a responsible parent, you must take action to help solve any weight problems your children have before things get worse. You can solicit the help of professionals at our teen weight loss camps, but before you get that far, here are a few things you can do to determine if your child really has a weight problem.

In children, being classified as "overweight" is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25. BMI is calculated using a child's height and weight. If you know these numbers, a quick online search should point you in the direction of several calculators. It's probably best to use a few different sources to ensure you get an accurate calculation. Additionally, it is worth noting that some children naturally have a higher than average BMI, especially very athletic kids who have a lot of muscle mass. Keep that in mind before drawing any conclusions - you should know if your kid falls in to this category.

If you determine that your child is indeed clinically overweight, your next step is to consider your child's history. Is this additional weight relatively new or has your child always had weight issues? You can look at past medical records if you have them to calculate their BMI from past years. Many kids follow a growth curve that is healthy but is either higher or lower than other kids their age. Looking at your child's past can assist here. If they have followed a healthy growth path without any big jumps, they may be just fine. However, if a recent weight gain (or one several years ago) was bigger than usual for your kid, you likely have a problem that needs to be addresses. These large weight gains are commonly associated with prolonged periods of inactivity.

Next, begin thinking about what may have led to rapid gains in weight. Unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are the most common culprits, but often emotional disturbances trigger these events. Diet and exercise are the keys to losing weight, but we all know that getting a kid to go on a diet and change their routine to be more active is much easier said than done. This is where a summer fitness camp can be incredibly effective. Kids can get away from their daily routine and have an opportunity to develop new, good habits that they can then transition back to home once they are more comfortable with a better diet and more exercise.

Finally, make sure that this evaluation process is done rationally. If your family is made up of a bunch of incredibly skinny people and your kid just happens to be a bit bigger than is average for your genes, they could still be completely healthy and jumping to conclusions could be more detrimental than beneficial. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact a professional. When dealing with obesity and the potential negative health effects, it is always better to be safe than sorry. The keys to making changes for the better are support from family and friends and avoiding drastic changes that kids will naturally resist. Again, a weight loss camp can be extremely beneficial in providing a supportive environment full of professionals who will ensure your child loses weight safely and has fun while they do it. If your kid learns to hate healthy living, any changes made in the short term will not last.