Dieting and Kids

Our society is obsessed with weight and dieting.  Unfortunately this idea is all too often passed on to our children.  Although obesity among youngsters is on the rise in the United States, the majority of kids do not need to diet.  Dieting, in some cases, can actually be a health risk.

Children's growing bodies must have a balanced selection of nutrients and minerals daily to fuel their development.  Without a balanced diet, kids are prone to illness and disruptions in growth.  Self-imposed, or fad, diets rarely include adequate calorie or nutritional intake.  Most are based on food deprivation rather than healthfulness.  Miracle pills, shakes, all-liquid diets, and food products touted by fad diets are inappropriate choices for anyone, let alone kids.  In addition to poor nutritional value, they teach unhealthy eating habits, setting the child up for a lifetime of dieting or eating disorders.

Fad diets rarely achieve the intended goal.  A Boston study of 16,000 children between 9 and 14 showed a greater long-term weight gain for dieting kids than non-dieting kids.  It is believed that fad dieting predisposes children to binge eating, altering their metabolism to increase weight gain.

Safe Weight Loss for Children
Granted, some children are legitimately overweight and need to shed pounds.  There are ways to do this safely, the best of which consists of eating healthier foods and becoming more active. 

Your pediatrician is best equipped to determine if your child needs to lose weight, and in what manner it should be done.  Based on the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, your doctor will check your child's body mass index, or BMI.  The index estimates how much fat is present based upon height, weight, and age.  Children ranking between the 85th and 95th percentiles are considered at risk of becoming overweight.  Intervention is warranted to safeguard the child's current health and future well-being.

Should your doctor determine that weight loss is necessary, a consultation with a dietitian is the best place to start.  The dietitian will develop an eating plan to safely reduce your child's calories, without withholding necessary nutrients.  Increasing the amount of physical activity your child receives also increases the effectiveness of their eating plan.

By adopting healthy eating habits, in place of deprivation, your child gains a lifetime of good health.  There are no short cuts or quick fixes to weight loss at any age.  The key to maintaining a healthy weight is not limiting the amount you eat, but changing what and how you eat.  It is a lifestyle change.