Alan Rosca

Is Your Child Getting Overweight? It’s Not Too Late to Prevent That

A child`s health is strong related to being active and eating well. A lack of balance between those two may lead to excess weight or health problems that may continue until their adulthood.

A balanced diet along with physical exercise help children get the nutrients they need, maintain a healthy weight, study more easily, build muscles and strong bones, get more energy, and avoid diseases caused by obesity such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. As a parent, you play a key role in your child`s diet. If you eat low-fat, low-sugar, or high-fiber food, your child will most likely eat the same way. However, you may have to try for more than ten times before your child accepts certain foods.

Check the school`s breakfast and lunch. Get involved in choosing the school menu, or include in your child`s lunch pack a variety of healthy foods. The media and your child`s friends may affect his or her food choices.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourage youngsters to eat fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs, whole grains, nuts, lean meat, low-fat milk, and poultry. The guidelines recommend diets low in cholesterol, salt, saturated fats, added sugars, and trans fats.

Calcium intake is very important because it makes children`s bones and teeth stronger. Milk products are the best-known sources of calcium. Broccoli, collard greens, kale, Brussels sprouts, northern beans, baked beans, black turtle beans, salads, navy beans, or mustard greens are also rich in calcium.

Lactose-reduced dairy products such as yogurt, low-fat milk, or ice cream are useful if your child cannot digest milk properly.

Try to roast, poach, or bake foods instead of frying it, use less salt and offer your child a healthy snack besides the three meals in order to maintain his or her healthy weight. The snacks may be popcorn, dried fruits, low-fat yogurt, nut mix, fresh or canned fruits, pretzels, rice cakes, peanut butter, dry cereals with low-fat milk or plain served, or whole grain crackers. To read the rest of this article, go to Project Weight Loss, an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, carbs counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and other weight loss tools.

(c) Project Weight Loss 2007. All rights reserved.

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