Sending your child to a summer weight loss camp was probably a difficult decision.  An entire summer of camp can be expensive and parting with your child can be heart-wrenching.  After such sacrifice on your behalf and that of your child’s, it’s imperative that you help your child transition from the camp experience to normal home life without leaving behind all that they’ve learned.  By understanding the top reasons for failure of this important transition time, you can make sure that you won’t make the same mistakes.

1.  Expecting Too Much

Realize that a child loses weight differently than a grown up.  Because your child is still growing, a lot of weight "loss" is really allowing them to grow into their weight.  The time they’ve spent at summer camp will have a greater long term impact than short term impact.  Your child has probably lost weight while at camp, but don’t expect your child to run through that door at a perfectly healthy weight.  This will take time.

2.  Failing to Change

Your child has just spent the summer learning to eat properly and exercise.  What have you done this summer?  We all make mistakes and obviously, if your child is overweight or obese, there has to be  reason for it.  It can be difficult to assess this sometimes.  We feel badly when we make parenting mistakes and sometimes, we just don’t want to accept fault for yet another thing.  But your child’s future health depends on your ability to learn from your mistakes.

3.  Failing to Provide a Healthy Kitchen

You need to make sure that your kitchen is in good shape for your child’s return.  Get rid of the junk.  Get rid of the refined carb’s such as white breads and pastas.  Replace these items with healthful foods such as veggies, fruits and whole grain carbohydrates.  Replace chips with seeds and nuts.  Replace fattening treats like cookies with healthful sweet alternatives such as fruit.   They’ve learned so much and have been working hard to retrain the way they eat.  Don’t tempt them now with a pantry full of junk.

4.  Being Too Strict

In the same breath as the above advice, make sure you don’t go too far the other direction.  Though you don’t want your child eating crummy foods on a daily basis, it’s okay to have treats now and again.  Hopefully, the camp counselors have done their job and helped your child to CHOOSE better foods, but it’s only natural that we all want something sinfully delicious now and again.

5.  Encouraging Couch Potatoism

We’ve all been guilty a time or two of using the TV, computer or gaming system as a babysitter.  Now’s the time to change all of that.  It’s important that you provide continued activity opportunities for your child.  Some of these activities can come in the form of individual time or time spent on a team or other organized class; however, this is also a good time to get the whole family moving.  Take on an activity with your child.  Maybe it’s a walk after dinner or a run in the morning.  Whatever it is, make sure you make it enjoyable.  Maybe the two of you can chit chat while you walk and catch up on all that you missed while they were at summer weight loss camp.

Childhood obesity is a medical condition that is characterized by a weight well above the norm for their height and age. Doctors define obesity as having a body mass index well above average. Over 15% of American children are considered obese and the number is growing.

There are a number of factors that contribute to childhood obesity. I’d like to look a bit closer at a few.

Eating Habits

Childhood obesity can result from poor eating habits.  When looking at lunches that children bring to school, instead of being packed with a healthy, balanced meal, many are packed with junk food meal and snack items.  Eating out on a regular basis also contributes to weight gain in children.  Children that eat meals at home with the family (all sitting down to eat together) typically weigh less than children whose families eat out several times a week.

Physical Activity

Physical activity is a great factor when it comes to overweight children.  If a child sits around watching TV, playing video games and munching, they are more likely to be obese.  On the other hand when a child gets at least 30 minutes of exercise each day they will be less likely to be overweight.

Biological Factors

A child’s weight is also affected by genetics. Many overweight children have a mother and/or father that struggle to maintain a healthy weight.  Genetic factors such as metabolism may impact a child’s inability to lose weight, but frequently children of overweight parents gain weight simply because their parents are poor role models.  Many children look to their parents for the “right thing to do.”  If a child is raised in a house where healthy eating and exercise are not promoted, it should be no surprise if the child grows up eating unhealthy food and not getting enough exercise.

Lack of Sleep

Believe it or not, lack of sleep is another contributing factor in obese children. Previously this was believed in adults but recent studies have shown that this is also true in children as well. Infants and toddlers that get fewer than 12 hours of sleep are more likely to gain weight.

There are a lot of things that contribute to childhood obesity.  At Camp Pocono Trails, we do our part to provide as many chances as possible to live a healthy lifestyle.  You may have seen us on MTV’s "Return to Fat Camp" where we demonstrated our commitment to help overweight children learn how to eat healthy, be more active, and feel better about themselves.