Childhood obesity has dramatically increased over the past decade, but new research suggests that parents might not be the ones to blame.
Parenting on Female First
It's thought that some children simply have bigger appetites than others, which means that they feel the need to eat more and more often.
This unfortunately means bad news for parents, because it can be a worry when you see your kids eating far more than they should. Is it realistic then for you to be able to control what your kids are eating?
A bigger appetite means more exercise
Managing weight is all about balance. If you think your child is eating more than they should then they need to burn off the excess energy by exercising more.
Why not encourage them to enrol in a club at a local sports centre? If they find a sport that they enjoy, not only will they look forward to going and get the chance to socialise with others their age but you can also guarantee that they’ll be doing meaningful exercise to burn off those extra calories.
You could also take your kids down to the swimming pool and spend some time together there. Swimming is a great form of exercise that stretches every part of your body and it’s a fun way for your kids to see that exercise isn’t a chore.
How can you balance their diet?
It’s been shown that children don’t tend eat more than their appetite allows for, but it can still be difficult for parents to control what they are putting into their bodies, especially during the school day.
One way of helping your children to eat a balanced diet is to educate them about their food. Why not try encouraging them to help you cook in the kitchen?
Even something as simple as a homemade pizza will get them passionate about food and eating in a healthy way.
Another top tip is to give your child a packed lunch to take to school. Then you can know exactly what they’ve had if you’ve packed it yourself.
There are loads of great recipes out on the Internet that can help you in deciding what to feed your child. Remember that your kids should be receiving portions tailored to them, so try buying smaller dinner plates and don’t pile up the plate.
You’re not on your own when it comes to worrying about your kids’ diets, so try not to stress about it. Help is out there if you need it, and remember that as long as your kids are eating healthily and burning off the energy they put in, the amount they eat shouldn’t be a problem.
Tagged in Parenting Tips