We’re all aware that childhood obesity is a growing problem, as obesity rates among children and adolescents have nearly tripled since 1980.
What’s causing this increase in obesity rates? Obesity has many different causes. Some of the causes are:
- Lack of physical activity or sedentary lifestyle
- Too much fat in the diet
- Too much sugar in the diet
- Family genetics
With those causes in mind, here are a few tips that can help obese children lose weight and help children with healthy weights stay there:
- Find a “stopper”. A stopper is an activity that is incompatible with eating. Examples are chewing gum, playing outside, running, or doing house cleaning.
- Make lifestyle changes as a family. Get rid of high-fat, high-sugar or salty snacks in your home to avoid temptation for your kids.
- Drink plenty of water. Set an example for your kids. Water is healthy, and can keep you full so you don’t want to eat as much.
- Exercise as a family. Go for a bike ride, play tennis, go swimming, or just go for a long walk as a family.
- Find a weight-loss camp for kids that focuses on fun exercise opportunities, long-term success and lifelong friendships, such as Camp Pocono Trails.
