Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Suggested for you
How to Lose Weight for Kids- 10 Easy Ways
Weight problems in kids is a growing cause of concern worldwide. It has led to a rise in childhood diabetes, cholesterol, osteoporosis, fatty liver, asthma, heart ailments etc. These diseases that usually occur during adulthood are now appearing during childhood. Obese kids are also more prone to bullying, body-image anxiety, insecurities and depression.
Weight loss in kids should be done with care and caution. Parents must create a safe and sensitive weight loss plan in consultation with their paediatrician. This is because a random weight loss plan can hamper the kid’s nutrition, growth and stress levels. Moreover, what works for adults does not work for kids because their body is still developing.
How do you Know whether your Child has a Weight Problem?
Understanding whether your child has weight problems is the first step to a proper plan. This is important because kids grow at different rates. It is best to consult your paediatrician to check the child’s Body Mass Index (BMI), that measures their weight against height, gender and age. Here is a quick guide about what percentile of BMI can indicate that your child has weight problems:
BMI between 5th and 84th percentile: Healthy
BMI between 85th and 94th percentile: Overweight
BMI at the 95th percentile or more: Obese
Weight Loss Tips for Kids
Your paediatrician can give your kids advice on how to lose weight as a child.Together you can draw up a personalised plan that is suitable for your child. Here are the top 10 recommendations:
1. Calorie Count
You should not eliminate calories from the kid’s diet at random because they give energy and have other essential health benefits. You need to know exactly how much calorie your kid needs for proper growth. Anything more than that will hinder weight loss. The amount of calorie that a child needs varies according to age, gender, BMI, activity etc. Don’t stress the child by daily weight checks at home because it deviations on a daily basis are natural.
2. Low-Glycemic Diet
You don't need to totally eliminate carbs from your kid's diet. All you need to do, is select low-or medium-glycemic carbs like broccoli, carrots, apples, berries, beans, nuts, peanut butter, plain yogurt with honey and fruits, milk, cheese, pineapple, sweet potatoes, banana, dried fruit, pasta, high-fiber cereal, brown rice, and ice cream. Avoid high-glycemic carbs like corn, potatoes, white rice, French fries, chips, juice, jam, sweet and frozen yogurt, breads, pancakes, waffles, pizza, popcorn, instant oats, and some cereals. The glycemic level is the rate at which carbohydrate rich food converts to glucose. Studies suggest that low-glycemic food keeps a kid full longer and happier because it takes longer to digest and blood sugar stays stable. They also have more fiber and are less processed.
3. More Fruits, Veggies
Generally, you can add more vegetables and fruits of many colours to your kid’s diet. Serve whole fruits rather than fruit juices. This is because juices have more calories, while whole fruits are more filing and fiber-rich that is good for digestion. However, not all fruits and veggies are good for weight loss. Some may be high glycemic, that we have discussed in the point above.
4. More Water
Don’t allow the child to drink juice, energy and cold drinks, soda etc. when they are thirsty because they cause weight gain. The best thirst-quencher is water.
5. Good Sleep
Ideally, kids need 10 hours of sleep and teenagers need 9 hours of sleep. Early and good sleep is essential for proper nutrition and metabolism that helps maintain body weight.
6. Minimize Sugar, Salt
Minimize high sugar content food like candies, sweetened breakfast cereals, flavored drinks and yogurt, sweetened beverages, fruit juice, soda drinks etc. Settle for low-sugar substitutes like home-made fruit puree; fruit ice pops; cookies, pizzas, sandwiches made of whole-wheat; fruit salads etc. Even salt needs to be minimized. The sodium content of salt makes the body retain water and bloat up. Avoid table salt and canned and frozen food that are high on sodium.
7. More Protein
Experts recommend that protein stimulates a hormone that helps the body break down excess fat into energy. It is also more filling. Serve eggs, plant protein, fish and lean meat like chicken. Go for low-fat yogurt, butter, cheese, margarine etc. for milk protein.
8. Meal Plans
Avoid long gaps between meals because an empty stomach for long hours leads to gorging during meals. Studies recommend that that three small meals and two small snacks daily is ideal.
9. Daily Exercises/Sports
Exercise or some sporting activity for at least 60 minutes daily is recommended. Start with 15-20 minutes daily and increase the duration gradually. Make it entertaining by including your child’s peers or organizing a dance and music session, running with a pet dog, a family swimming session etc. This will encourage the child to participate enthusiastically. Some of the good exercises for kids to lose weight are:
Gymming
Swimming
Cycling
Dancing
Running
Roller-skating
Aerobics
Any kind of sports after school
10. Understand Fat Facts
All fats aren’t harmful. Healthy fats are required by the body to create cell membranes. Eliminating fat at random can impact your kid’s immune system, nervous system, and overall health. They need to consume fats like unsaturated oils (olive, canola, soybean etc.), salmon, anchovy, almonds, seeds of sesame, pumpkin, and flax etc. Fats also slow down digestion and keep the stomach full for longer hours.
Do and Don'ts
There are a few things that you should keep in mind during your kid’s weight loss program:
Do’s
Make changes in habits like daily exercise. No binging on unhealthy junk and no eating meals while watching TV to avoid overeating, etc.
Be supportive. Studies suggest that less sugar increases stress hormones and makes the kid cranky. Reward the child for weight loss achievements with a movie show, a toy etc. However, do not reward them with their favorite food.
Add errands to their daily schedule, encourage them to take the stairs rather than the lift, walk to a nearby kid’s activity zone rather than take the car etc. Make activities fun-filled with boot camps, nature walks, etc.
Reduce the portions, do not eliminate meals. A researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge suggests that it’s not what you eat, but the quantity is what matters when trying to lose weight.
Substitute junk with healthy home-made snacks like raita, sprout salad, baked (not fried) papad, ragi dosa, grilled chicken strips etc. Sliced and diced carrots, cucumber, grapes, strawberries, watermelon etc. can be healthier finger food.
Don'ts
Don’t make unrealistic plans. So, if your child likes eating something that is against the weight loss plan, don’t eliminate it totally. That may stress the child and add to weight gain. Do it gradually. Also set an attainable weight loss goal. A good, recommended rate is one pound (Approx 0.453592 kg) of weight loss per week.
Do not allow kids to watch TV, play video games and couch around for hours. Ideally, restrict it to one to two hours a day.
Don’t make kids-only diet, work as a team. Include family and friends. You can yourself stick to food that is beneficial for you. Set an example for the child to keep him motivated. You could also throw a birthday party with all healthy snacks and set the trend.
Don’t give up! Tell the child things won’t change overnight.
Don’t rush! Do not go for a fast-track weight loss program. It can do more harm than good.
What are the Dangers of Fast Weight Loss for Kids?
To begin with, approach the subject of weight loss with care and sensitivity. It should be an open dialogue that addresses weight-related concerns and insecurities of the child. It is seen that many kids, especially girls, try to experiment with weight loss on their own. This could be unscientific and harmful. Watch out for that and educate them.
Please note that your kid may have some underlying health condition causing weight gain like Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, and medication side effects etc. So, please consult your pediatrician before you begin their weight loss journey.
Also Read: Growth Spurts in Children Read more
Check out this new Memory
kumar
Father of a 2 yr 9 m old boy
5 mins ago
#grandphoto
1 Likes
0 Comment
Suggested for you
Suggested for you
Is Coffee Good or Bad For You? Let's Put an End To This Debate Forever!
Is it good? Is it bad? I mean, it's time to put this coffee debate because it's messing with some real emotions here! For those who can't do mornings with a nice hot cuppa, you know what we mean, right?
While there’s a category of foods mighty burgers and hotdogs, the perfect pizzas and brownies and the prerequisite for every party - drinks) looked down upon by nutritionists, there’s a second category these smart folks were born to propagate. This includes salads, fruit juices, leafy greens, skimmed milk, lean meats (read: all things healthy). There’s yet another category that is always left out in the open and debated on. It is the category of poor coffee (and caffeine-containing products). For years, many educated people have been arguing for or against the puny mug of java. Nonetheless, there are innocent souls waiting for the endless rebuttals to yield a conclusion. Let us pledge not look for “Is coffee good or bad for you?” in our search engines anymore. Let us search for the right answer and let’s begin right here.
1. Moderation Is The Key
Extreme of everything is bad (except shoes). When you, very frequently, indulge in something such as caffeine, you’re bound to notice an instant boost of energy, both physically and mentally. But overdoing it will only result in you becoming hyperactive at first, then gradually feeling your energy drain out as the effect fades away. But, wait a minute. There are these little glands called adrenal glands that get affected every time you chug down a cuppa joe. The body’s fight or flight response gets activated every time you drink a cup of coffee. This means that instead of releasing adrenaline, the adrenal glands start releasing a hormone in response to the coffee that you are consuming. Over time, the adrenal glands start to burn out from overuse. Basically, avoid coffee or keep the consumption to a bare minimum.
2. Cup-Size Matters
Keeping in mind the amount of intake in a single go is as important as keeping a tab on how frequently you consume your coffee. You might begin to perspire more than normal or have an increased heartbeat, apart from feeling restless and blabbering on just about anything.
3. Every ‘Body’ Is Different
We all can name at least one person who eats like a pig and still looks undernourished. Metabolism plays its role here. Since, the tendency of the body to react towards a certain food item could vary a great deal from one individual to another, a given quantity of coffee could be ‘just the right amount’ to lend a glow to one face, whilst aggravating breakouts for someone whose skin is prone to acne. If coffee is so important to you (which we’ll assume it is), get a nutritionist to gauge how much is okay for you or if it is okay at all.
4. Weigh Your Requirements At The Moment
Coffee is a blessing for someone who is trying hard to stay awake all night to study. On the other hand, for a person who needs a sound sleep to wake up early the next morning, taking a cup of coffee late in the evening will only make him blame the caffeine for insomnia. If you have a relatively normal routine, 2 cups of coffee had through the day but restricted to 3 hours before bedtime are okay.
5. ‘Weather’ To Have It Or Not
Sitting by a window, watching the raindrops race down the pane and sipping a cup of your favourite coffee sounds like the perfect combination; so does reading a nice book with a mug of coffee in one hand, while it snows outside. But, picture someone doing the same when it’s 40 degrees outside. Of course, a decent amount of chilled coffee would be good to seek respite from the scorching heat, but since, the natural tendency of coffee is to heat up your body, it would be better to consider cooler options. This argument is based purely on discomfort/ comfort so we’ll let you pick the obvious choice.
6. When Your Body Desperately Needs It
From being a great start to your morning when you’ve got a presentation or a perfect way to ward off the weariness from the hectic day at work to easing out those menstrual cramps, this cup of jolt could be your saviour on many days. Just do not let your body become so accustomed to it, that you have a bad time dragging yourself to work on days when you don’t get it. But, coffee addiction is a real thing, guys. The caffeine molecule is water soluble and fat soluble. This means that it can pass through the blood-brain barrier and directly alter our brains. It also courses through our veins and affects the blood and cellular membranes. This is where addiction begins.
7. How Do You Like Your Coffee, Sir?
While debating the good and bad of coffee, how can you not consider the amount of sugar or the extra fat cream that goes into your Latte? You dare not blame poor coffee for the thick blanket of fat around your belly. If you’re too worried about gaining those inches, opt for black coffee. Yes, copious amounts of black coffee are also bad for you but you can safely drink one cup a day.
Now, for the tough part.
Is it going to be “Now, I’m educated and can continue drinking my coffee again.” or “Dude, I’m going to kick this habit"?
It seems like while coffee has been linked to weight loss, longer life and less depression, it is easily addictive and can be dangerous in excess.
What is “excess”? Up to 400 mg of caffeine is safe for a full grown adult in a day. This amount is roughly 4 cups of coffee. We’re okay with that! Anything is better than losing coffee forever! Read more
Suggested for you
10 Things They Don’t tell you About Becoming a Parent
There are several things that no one tells you about becoming a parent. You might think that it would have been better entering this with your eyes wide open. The truth is no matter how well armed you are, the world of parenthood is bound to throw surprises at you.
Tiresome, frustrating, downright hilarious, and totally worth it - is just how becoming a parent can be explained. There are dirty diapers and stench to battle (tiny bodies make the worst stink, really!), runny noses to take care of, and your favourite coffee table book to be stowed away. Your house smells of baby powder and sooner or later you'll realize the walls will have incomprehensible art no matter what you do. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, parenting throws a sea of outright funny surprises each and every day. Find here some advice that'll gear you for what lies ahead.
10 Funny Parenting Tips that'll Leave You in Splits
1. Good habits
There is no such thing as forming a habit too early. From the word get-go you need to show the baby who is the boss! No, you will not rock her to sleep. No, you will not let the pout and big eyes get to you. 'Ok', so this is the last time you’re doing that!
2. Gassy affairs
A common complaint after childbirth is feeling embarrassingly gassy. The good news is that you can always blame the out-of-control missile on the kids! Cruel you think? We're laughing already!
3. Get creative
If there is one thing that you have to learn is the art of coming up with smart stories under a minute for everything you don’t want (or do want) your kids to do! It may sound like a funny advice for new parents, but it is one that you'll forever cherish! You don't want them to be scared of the pet Labrador? Tell him how the dog is dad's best friend and loves him just like dad does.
4. Time management
Once your new entrant has made an appearance, all adult activities including watching TV or having conversation must be fit in the time slot between your child's bed time and yours! All this in a hush, mostly. God forbid if your baby stays up, you can very well forget talking romance or even home repair issues with your husband.
5. Preparation is the key
When it comes to parenting, there is no such thing as being over-prepared. With a baby in tow, everything you weren’t prepared for is definitely bound to happen. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
6. Joys of sharing
You will realize that over the years you turn into the sacrificial, martyr-types parents that you dreaded becoming. You will also realize that you did it out of love. Ditched picking your dream car, so you could save up for your child's school fees instead? Well, that's what we're talking about!
7. Been there, done that
There is actually very little that you will face in life that will embarrass you anymore. As a parent, you'll have already lived through the long list of humiliating experiences with your kid! Your kid puked all over your designer dress at a party or broke a Swarovski mantle piece at your friend's place? Sound's familiar? Don't be scared already, there's more to come!
8. Communication troubles
The truth is that there is a vast gulf that separates people with children from those who don't. The only way to bridge the gap is to wait for people on the other side to cross over to yours! Your friends without children may for most time never understand your need to get your child to their birthday party, the refusal to meet for drinks on a Sunday in a pub, or why you don't have time for even a phone call.
9. Force to reckon with
Never ever underestimate the power of cute. Your innocent little baby will have you wrapped around their finger with their big Bambi eyes. You child wants to watch her favourite cartoon show while your interesting cricket match telecasts? Well! Let's not even argue who'll win hands down.
10.Smuggling goods
You can feel the thrill of a smuggler with contraband when you try to sneak past that huge chocolate bar from the refrigerator under the kids’ nose. Too much chocolate is bad for their teeth and their appetite, but there is no other way you can eat it yourself than to sneak lest you're caught red handed.
While there are many other hilarious situations that you will face on your journey as a parent, there isn't a rule book that you can go by. Every day will be a surprise with your child. There'll be new stories, new antics; the list is endless. The good part is, some days will make you split your hair while others will keep you rolling on the floor amused and happily startled. Read more
Suggested for you
It’s the father’s name that matters: Know your rights when naming your child!
"Vansh"a very common term that is used in indian households. A mighty "XY" chromosome when born in indian households carry forwards the name of the family that had no hand "literally" in giving birth to him.
When two people get married the woman is expected to leave behind everything including her surname. The woman is now not supposed to keep the people who gave birth to her, raised her, cared for her, loved her these last 20-30 years as her priority;
now all she got to worry about is her husband and his family. The festivals now belong to her husband and his family and this is termed as ideal by not only men but also women of our country. This is glorified in our country to such an extent that
it is even asked for in government offices.
Recently we went to get our daughter’s birth certificate made and we encountered something that I should have seen coming but well I had hoped better. When I got married I had made perfectly clear to not only my husband but also my new family that
I maybe adding them in my life but I wont be deprioritising the people whom i owe everything. And I wont be leaving my identity behind but won’t mind adding up a new identity along with it if need be. Even when we had a daughter I was pretty clear
that she will get both her parent’s surname and not just her father’s cause let’s be honest here apart from sperm, the contribution till the child is born is pretty negligible.
My husband was pretty onboard with the idea till things took a different turn in that government office. We went ahead and filled out the form as asked but that official went in some kind of shock seeing that my daughter didn’t have her father’s first
name and instead my surname. He went ahead and kept questioning and ordering us not to do this as "supposedly" it’s not how this works. The child is supposed to get her father’s name and surname. My husband took a different stance once things started
getting ugly with that official but I had made it perfectly clear to him and that official that this is what is going to happen .He started ignoring me and started just focusing his statements to my husband and after a lot of debate and back and forth
his last statement was "main kardeta hoon par baad mein aana mat change karane ke galti hogayi".
This whole incident left me a little broken not cause my husband gave in when I needed him to take a stand but the fact that this patriarchy is so deeply rooted in our culture that it troubles me how many more years will it take for us to come out
of it.
As of today our daughter has both of our surnames. Always remember to know your rights atleast when it comes to naming your child.Our society is changing one family at a time but only "WE" women can make this happen. We need to start questioning
the "aisa hi hota aya hai" and start saying "jo humare liye sahi hai hum woh karenge".
Let’s leave this world a place of equality and equal opportunities for all gender alike!
Read more
Suggested for you
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
10 hours ago
Q. hllo am in 34 week of pregnancy,cramps in my hand and foots,my pulses is very fast,i feel tiredness internally,are these symptoms are normal
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
10 hours ago
A. get investigations particularly hemoglobin level. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
10 hours ago
Q. i feel some fever internally also
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
10 hours ago
A. please check the temperature and get the investigations. fever can be because of different reasons most of the times viral bacterial sometimes due to less immunity there can be recurrence better to treat only with paracetamol if the fever more than 100degr
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
9 hours ago
Q. Now I am having pain till then my miscarriage has been done at home
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
9 hours ago
A. I’m sorry I’m unable to understand your query as you haven’t given any detail about it so whatever the situation is you should get a check with your gynaecologist the doctor would be able to give you better help in whatever treatment of precaution you need to require further
shilpi Bhandari has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
5 hours ago
Q. Hello
What is better normal or csec?
shilpi Bhandari
Mom of 2 children
4 hours ago
A. hello dear this is not about which is better this is all about your body and the condition of the baby no doubt the normal procedure is the painful but side effect are not there but after C6 you have to be little more careful and you have to take more precaution but again I am saying that this is not about the better one this is about the condition of your pregnancy
Santu has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
2 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
1) till how many days after delivery baby needs to keep on uterus temperatures/warm temperature?
2) Can baby & mother both take bath after 24 hours of delivery?
Santu
Mom of 2 children
2 hours ago
A. It depends on moms and babys health I feel and suggest It's better to check with your doctor and follow their advise. That would be one of the best and safest option for your baby as of now. Take care.
shilpi Bhandari has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. dual marker test is for what purpose??
shilpi Bhandari
Mom of 2 children
1 hour ago
A. The double marker test helps determine whether the unborn baby has any risk of developing neurological abnormalities or mental disorders
Check out this new Memory
ketranjit rajkumar
Father of a 11 m old girl
New Memory
#stylishbaby
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Lipika
Mom of a 1 yr 2 m old girl
1 min ago
#grandphoto
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Shalini Singh
Mom of a 2 m old boy
5 mins ago
#grandphoto
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Shalini Singh
Mom of a 2 m old boy
8 mins ago
#2 months old little butterfly
0 Likes
0 Comment
Tell us more about yourself get More Personalised
- Infant0 to 6 Months
- Baby6 Months to 2 Yrs
- Toddler2 to 4 yrs
- Kids4-6 yrs
- Big Kids6+ yrs
- Expecting
- Trying to Conceive