Thread: Obese/Overweight Children

I read the news that one kid was hospitalized and had to be force fed because he was only consuming 50 calories a day. He was overweight and he was constantly being teased at school because of it. He was really young, below 12 years old, I think.

Now, my question is, can overweight babies (1-4 years old) and children ( 5-12 years old) go on a diet too?

For babies, for example. I don't think they were born overweight but why or how did they become so big? For children, I can understand why since they usually eat candies, junk foods and fast foods with little or no exercise.

What can their parents do for them?

The best they can do is control their food and change the way they cook their meals.. (like less oil, more veggies, etc).. They could encourage their children to participate in sports too. That's the best exercise for them.

I think there are low fat formulas for babies but I'm not sure if it's safe.. I guess if babies are overfed, they are likely to gain too much weight too..

My neighbor is overweight and when she got pregnant, she gained even more weight and her baby was born overweight too..

For children, yes, it's possible for them to go on a diet, but for babies, I don't think so.. Even if they are overweight, they still need to be fed properly.. Of course, there's a difference between balanced feeding and overfeeding..

Hi Kathy,

Do not put your child on a diet, do not put your toddler on a diet. This will only start a very unhealthy pattern that you will one day not be able to control, and that might shift the other direction.
I have been coaching kids in healthy living habits for over 15 years. I have been able to get to the root of their eating habits and why they are not active and participating in sports etc. I offer a virtual coaching service that would allow your child to speak openly and freely with no inhibition. If you know of anyone that might be interested in a healthy solution, then I would appreciate the referrals. Of course I do also coach adults in healthy no gimmick weight loss with quite a few remarkable testimonials to forward.

Karyn

I agree with you ksaunders. Children are too young to go on a diet. Instead, teach them how to eat healthy. As a parent, you should also be conscious at what type of meal you make and not let them eat too much junk foods or fast foods.

thank you karyn.. I wasn't really thinking of putting them in a diet.. I was just asking for an opinion.. But I thank you for your advice