How to Help Overweight Children Lose Weight and Gain Weight Control

Children, despite trying to hide their true feelings, suffer when they are fat. Some children successfully overcome negative feelings and handle their obesity in childhood, but they are a small minority who have overcome their negative attitude while remaining overweight.

Depression, anxiety, feelings of emptiness, low self-esteem and fear of rejection are common among overweight children. Such symptoms often intensify overeating and a vicious cycle develops.

Is compulsive overeating an addiction similar to addiction to alcohol, hard drugs and tobacco? There are similarities in its ability to increase pleasure in part by stimulating the pleasure centers of the brain. It is important to understand what impact this has on a child's ability to diet and gain weight control. Certainly anything that is repeated enough will initially become a habit. Over time, if repeated sufficiently, it acts like an addiction.

Although children follow similar patterns as adults there are some distinctive differences. Children are apt to mimic overweight parents. They use overeating to punish parents, or to overcome feeling depressed, anxious, unloved or rejected. A connection between food filling an empty stomach and improvement in mood is established. The next time it occurs and food again rewards the eater a pattern has started. It doesn't take long to establish a belief that food counters painful symptoms and compulsive eating begins. Once that belief becomes engrained to all intents that child has become an eating addict.

Like any addiction it will require motivation, persistence and a strong belief in wanting to overcome compulsive eating. Even for adults this task can be formidable. Most diets work for a while but not for long because the overeater has not changed his essential attitude about eating. Here is where the parents input is essential. They must guide, reassure the child as it pursues weight control. Above all it must make certain that there are no obstacles in the child following a reasonable diet.

Overweight children must overcome the belief that being overweight is an antidote to unhappiness, feeling unloved and overcoming emptiness. A child must learn that eating should be enjoyed but the essential reason to eat is to maintain health.

Instead of more pyramids, diet programs and conflicts about selecting the best diet, the emphasis must be on changing the beliefs that children have. They don't need to hear the theory of dieting, rather the emphasis is on that they are loved and helping overcome compulsive eating is healthy and should make them feel good.

Although love is the primary element in guiding them, the child should not believe that the failure to lose weight leads to not being loved. The belief that food is love or you eat because it makes you feel good or you eat because you love food needs to be changed. In its place good health must be primary and the pleasures in eating become secondary in your beliefs.

Every overweight child can learn to lose weight but the effort must start with his deep desire to become healthy and weight loss is one of the elements to make that happen. Children want to lose weight and look better. They will become happier and more self-directed as this control develops.

By Marvin H. Berenson, M.D.

November 17, 2011

My book "The Psychiatrist's Diet" contains an easy-to-use diet plan that is effective, doesn't require any special foods and works for any age. The diet is easily explained to children. The mental imagery exercises that can enhance weight control are often seen as fun games by many children who try them as part of their diet.

Visit http://www.drmarvinberenson.com/ to review "The Psychiatrist's Diet" and sign-up to receive Dr. Berenson's highly informative biweekly newsletter and two FREE gifts.

Marvin H. Berenson, M.D. is Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, USC Keck School of Medicine, psychiatrist, lecturer, author and artist.

Original article

Deal With Childhood Weight Issues Before Real Problems Surface - BMI, And How To Control Weight

To determine childhood obesity a measurement called the BMI (body mass index) is used. While BMI is a practical way for adults to test for obesity, it is not necessarily safe to rely solely on this measurement for children. Remember, BMI is but one of the "tools" used by professionals.

The doctor, nurse, or dietitian needs to be involved because the obese child is a "moving target" in the sense that his need to lose weight may conflict with his need to gain weight the right kind of way. His or her body is growing and developing. Only a professional can determine the correct guidelines for your child, so be sure to consult one.

There are a variety of conditions may occur as a result of overweight or obesity. This is true for children and adults. There is also a danger that children may develop serious conditions as a result of dieting or undue focus on weight reduction. For example:

• Anorexia and bulimia. A child may become consumed with losing weight and develop either (or both) of these serious conditions. The anorexic child refuses to eat proper amounts and kinds of food; the bulimic will attempt to lose weight by means of induced vomiting and the use of laxatives.

• Depression and low self-esteem. The overweight child may feel poorly about his appearance to the extent that he is able to focus on nothing else...schoolwork, social experience, playing.

• Substance abuse. The overweight child, especially one who has become depressed, is at peril for drug abuse in an attempt to ease the stress.

In view of these frightening possibilities, it may be tempting to ignore the child's weight. This too is dangerous. The overweight child is at risk of developing the same conditions as the overweight adult: heart disease, diabetes, sleep and joint disorders, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The child probably won't develop most of these during his early years but by the time he reaches adulthood he will have been "carrying the load" and challenging his health for a long time because of obesity. In addition, there is a tendency for the overweight child to mature earlier than peers, including irregular menstrual periods, and potential fertility problems as adults.

Once guidance from the physician has been sought the child can safely be put on a nutritionally sound, calorie restricted diet. At the same time, his caloric output can be increased by means of a modest exercise program. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children over the age of two get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

Start today to help your child toward achieving a healthy weight by means of a safe and effective nutrition and physical exercise program.

Here is the correct diet plan, for your overweight child, and for your entire family.

Need help? I'll help you.

By Sue Bristol, R.N.

My e-Book will lead you through the way to make weight loss work for you, and your obese child, or spouse. Here's the "Secret Weight Loss Diet" that virtually EVERY successful dieter uses. (Whether or not they are even aware of it!)

"Click Here" to get your Free e-book, which will give you the "Weight Loss Secret" Kids shouldn't be obese.
http://www.how-to-loseweight-101.com/index1.html

Original article

Can Parents Control A Kid's Weight? When The Number Of Overweight Kids Has Tripled Since 1980?

The number of overweight children has tripled since 1980. In some socio-ethnic groups as many as half the children are overweight. And, the age of children affected is becoming lower each year. Overweight children are becoming obese at a higher rate. As though these grim statistics were not dismal enough, fasten your seat belt for one more: there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

This is a tragic situation because childhood obesity carries with it a risk of developing other diseases such as diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, fatty liver, high blood pressure and blood fats, early puberty, and even some cancers.

Overweight and obese children are also more at risk of psychological and emotional problems such as learning and behavior problems, depression, poor self-concept and body image, and they are at risk for developing eating disorders.

Children who have become overweight or obese during childhood are also more likely to become "fat" adults. They have an increased likelihood of developing "adult" complications of obesity because of the number of years they have been overweight.

Why has this occurred and why is it getting worse? There are a variety of factors which are believed to play a part in the obesity epidemic among our children. Consider the following:

• Women have been gaining more weight during pregnancy which predisposes their children to high birth weight and lifelong obesity.

• A decrease in breast-feeding in favor of bottles. Breast feeding has been shown to result in lower incidence of childhood and adult obesity.

• Busy schedules tempt parents to eat out. Out of the home dining typically increases weight because of the fat, sodium, and sugar-laden foods which are offered.

• Most adults are overweight and serve as poor role models for their children.

• Excessive use of electronic items such as video games, computers, and TV cause children to get less exercise and to engage in "mindless eating" while doing nothing.

• Studies indicate that Hispanic children are more likely to be overweight than their non-Hispanic peers. As the Hispanic population grows in the United States, the proportion of overweight children also affects the "numbers".

Only a health care provider can determine for certain if a child is overweight and to what extent and the most healthful approach toward dealing with the problem. It is particularly important for parents to be careful in putting their children on diets of any kind without first consulting the doctor or nurse. The nutritional needs of the growing child must be carefully balanced against the number and make-up of calories consumed.

Stop drinking sugary pop today! Your child be on his way to the ideal weight!

By Sue Bristol, R.N.

My eBook will lead you through the way to make it work for you, and your obese child, or spouse. Here's the "Secret Weight Loss Diet" that virtually EVERY successful dieter uses. (Whether or not they are even aware of it!)

"Click Here" to get your Free e-book, which will give you the "Weight Loss Secret" Kids shouldn't be obese.
http://www.how-to-loseweight-101.com/index1.html

Original article