| If
you’re contemplating having a baby,you need to start now
making
sure your future child won’t struggle with a weight problem.
Too often
parents wait until their toddlers and young children have already put
on weight to be concerned. Childhood obesity is a growing problem, which has doubled in the past two decades.According to |
Begin even before conception--Start on the right track even before your child is conceived by taking care of yourself. Once you become pregnant, don’t put on excessive weight. What’s more, gestational diabetes and smoking can also contribute to infant obesity.
Because formula is sweeter than breast milk and may lead to an early addiction to sweets, it’s worth your while to consider breast feeding. Also, regulate feedings (feed no more than once every 3 hours). If you do bottle feed, don’t over scoop baby formula. At 6 months old, adjust feedings to three meals daily.
While your children are babies and toddlers you have more control over what they eat. Fortunately, most kids don’t do the family grocery shopping, so it’s up to you as a parent to make healthy choices. Of course, when your toddler gets older and leaves your house to visit friends, you can’t tag along. However, if you start giving them nutritional foods at home, most likely, they’ll develop a liking to foods that are good for them, rather than junk food. Use fruits and Jell-Os for desserts rather than sugary treats packed with sugar and fat.
If you already have a toddler or young child that you fear may have a weight problem, get him (or her) evaluated. Appearances can be deceiving. Don’t determine if your toddler is or isn’t overweight just by physical appearance. Instead, have him evaluated by his pediatrician or a health care professional who can determine his BMI. On the other hand, (if your child is ages 2-20) using the Childhood Obesity Assessment Calculator can also asses if he’s overweight.
Finally, set a good example yourself. Let your toddlers and
preschoolers see how you make wise choices in eating nutritional foods.
In other words, practice what you preach. Good eating habits are
“caught” more than taught.(by: Venice
Kichura)
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