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 My youngest daughter is on the
verge of being overweight. I don’t want to single her out
or embarrass her, but I do want to help her deal with this now and
not let it get out of control. What is the best way to deal with
this when her siblings don’t have the same problem?
Before
using diet and exercise to get your child to a desired weight, schedule
a checkup with a family physician or pediatrician. Occasionally,
a child’s weight problem may be caused by a genetic, metabolic
or hormonal condition, especially if the weight gain is sudden,
extreme or occurs in a younger child.
The
physician can also determine if a medication or another substance
is the root problem. If your child seems to be healthy, the best
way to manage her weight is to change her lifestyle — and
not just her’s, but the whole family’s.
A lifestyle change may include more opportunities
for exercise and adopting a balanced and healthy diet. Tackling
the problem as a family adds the double benefit of avoiding stigma
for the child and plotting a more healthy future for the entire
family, who may also be at risk of being overweight and incurring
medical problems.
One
of the biggest changes a family can make surrounds diet. Families
should concentrate on increasing grains, starches, fruits and vegetables,
and cutting down on concentrated sweets and items high in fat. Eliminate
unhealthy snacks between meals and avoid using food items as rewards.
This decreases overall daily caloric intake. Highly restrictive
diets are hardly ever needed or advised.
Excerpted from books written by Dr. James Dobson
of Focus on the Family.
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