Obesity Prevention Tips for Kids: Encouraging Activities

Children today spend more time in front of the television or the computer. Life has become more sedentary for children as they log onto social networking websites rather than actually socializing. As parents you would need to push your child to some form of activity and reduce their sedentary time. Children and adolescents need to take part in some form of exercise or activity which is of moderate intensity everyday; it can last from forty to sixty minutes. As a parent you would need to be active and fit for your children to follow the line. You can consider working out together with your child as it will increase bonding and setting up an example for your kid. What can your overweight or obese child take up for exercise? Just about anything that is of moderate intensity and does not put too much pressure on the body and mind. Remember to warm up by stretching or walking around to reduce any possibility of injuries.

Some examples of workout for your overweight child are

• Brisk walking
• Jogging
• Cycling
• Running
• Swimming
• Jumping rope
• Aerobics
• Dancing
• Group activities like football, cricket, and basket ball can be engaging as well as effective.

Apart from regular activity, encourage your child to choose practical and effective method of exercise on a daily basis like:

• Walking or cycling for shorter distances rather than being driven to.
• Using stairs rather than elevators or escalators.
• Helping around with household work like dusting etc.

While you are encouraging your child to sweat it out, you would also need to

• Restrict the time a child spends watching television or on the computer as they are sedentary activities which trigger snacking in between.
• Let the child decide which activity he/she wants to participate in as children need to enjoy what they do to continue practicing it.
• Be active yourself to put a live example for your child to follow. Children need someone they can look up to, who better than their own parents!
• Encourage your child to participate in competitive sports in school although avoid forcing the child to participate in something which he finds embarrassing.
• Be careful with basic safety rules while exercising with children. Do not do activities which can be exhausting and tiring for the child. Watch for signs of dehydration.