A child is defined as obese when around 30% of his or her total body weight is composed of fat. Skin fold measures are also used as indicators of child obesity but they are not easily replicable over the years as the child grows.
A child can modify behavior patterns more rapidly and easily than an adult.
An obese child is often the butt of jokes in the playground. While treating child obesity it is important to provide the child with positive reinforcement. Do teach the child how to turn negative remarks into positive statements to help keep up his self esteem.
Treatment plans for child obesity are therefore a good idea. Treatment of child obesity rarely has weight loss as a goal. The aim in treating child obesity is to slow down the rate of weight gain and gradually bring the child to his or her ideal weight.
Parents and guardians must be involved with the treatment of a child’s obesity.
It is from the parents that the child will pick up healthy eating habits. Any treatment program without parental guidance will definitely fail.
Obesity can hamper participation in physical activities in school. It can also make it hard to keep up with friends or to simply play in the neighborhood playground.
A diet diary can be used to study eating patterns and identify foods the child has a weakness for. The diet plan of the obese child can then be developed keeping these patterns in mind.
The other obvious thing to do to treat child obesity is to reduce calorific intake of the child. Children should not be subject to fasting or extreme calorie reduction. A well balanced diet with less fat content is the best diet for an obese child.
Small changes will work in the treatment of child obesity. The parents and the child must not expect miracles from the treatment. Changes which come about gradually will also be more sustainable.