Your Family’s Nutrition Make-Over

When you have a baby it is good for your baby to be chubby, but when you have a school aged child, chubby is not always a good thing. The problem is, many parents do not know if their child’s weight is normal, or something that should be addressed.

Because as kids grow their weight will fluctuate some, it can be difficult to know if your child’s weight is normal without consulting a pediatrician. Regular doctor visits, and yearly check ups is the best way to know if your child’s weight is normal, or if they should be trying to gain or lose weight.

Add more fruit to your family’s diet.

Sometimes right before a kid hits puberty they will gain weight, because they have a big growth spurt coming on. Sometimes a child will pack on some pounds because of stress, and as soon as the stress leaves their life, so will the weight. However, in other cases children are simply over weight. The following are some questions you can ask yourself if your child is overweight:

How does your child spend their time?

Activities such as television, computer, and video games are linked to weight gain. So, if you are not sure if your child’s weight is normal, one of the best indicators of whether or not they should strive to slim down is how they spend their time. If your child is active, spending time playing, running, etc. and they are a little hefty, it is probably not because of inactivity. If they spend a great deal of time on the couch, in front of the computer, or sitting around, then you may want to encourage greater activity and see if it has an effect. Sometimes things like having them ride their bike to school, or enrolling them in karate, T-ball, or some other after school activity is enough to help regulate their weight.

What does your child eat?

A lot of weight problems, whether too big or too small can come from improper eating. If your child is malnourished, meaning they are not eating enough foods that provide their body with the vitamins and minerals it needs for health, they may be underweight. If your child is filling up on processed and refined foods, and is avoiding vegetables and fresh foods, they may be over weight. The best place to help yourself know if your child’s weight is normal is at the family dinner table. If your prepare healthy meals, and they are eating right, then you will know if they are at a normal weight. If, however, you introduce vegetables to their diet and suddenly they shed pounds, it would be a good indication that they were over weight.

If you want your child’s weight to be normal, talk to your pediatrician about weight, and what you can do. Put the whole family on a nutrition make-over, not just the child who is over-weight or under-weight, and keep your family active and healthy.