simple parent led initiatives could have a big effect on the weight of the kids

More research has been presented which shows the powerful effect that both parents and grandparents have in reducing the onset of obesity in overweight children. The American Heart Association which recently came up with a set of guidelines for parents to help them get their children healthy and slim made use of a report presented by Professor Myles Faith from the University of North Carolina who coordinated a team of nutritional experts to write it.

The report said that parents were often the most powerful agents of change when it came to getting kids to eat healthily and that in order to do this the parents themselves needed to also change their eating habits and get healthy too.

The researchers looked at a number of different tried and tested strategies for successful weight loss in families and saw that simple parent led initiatives could have a big effect on the weight of the children. Things like purchasing less sugar laden drinks and focusing instead on low calorie juices and water could impact significantly and quickly on the weight of children.

Other ways which parents could be helpful were by limiting the amount of TV and computer time that the children were allowed every day and instead encouraging outside physical activity. The researchers also said that children needed to be encouraged verbally rather than being given rewards and punishments based on food treats and restrictions.

Probably the biggest thing the parents need to face up to is that their children have a weight problem. No parent likes to admit this especially as they are often identified as the cause of the problem. Sometimes getting your children to lose weight can be as simple as removing sweets and chocolates from the house, turning off the TV and giving positive encouragement to any healthy activity and weight loss targets met.

The longer that you wait before you deal with your childs weight problem the more difficult it will be to cure and if you let your child become an overweight teenager they may stay that way for the rest of their lives.