With the change in life and diet patterns, child obesity has now become an epidemic in the countries like United States, Canada and Great Britain. According to a report, the number of children suffering from obesity is skyrocketing. It is very essential to prevent and cure child obesity, as it might otherwise cause several negative health consequences to your child. It can result in both physical and psychological harm to your child. Here are some tips to help your child get in shape.

Parents have to take efforts in changing your child’s dietary habits and physical activity. The eating habits of the family influence a lot on the child’s eating habit. Hence, a drastic change has to be made in the eating habits of the entire family. Rather than changing the diet all of a sudden, introduce changes gradually.

• Include cereals and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose varieties of food that contain less of fat and more of proteins and other nutrients.
• Do not force your child to eat if he/she is not hungry.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association says that children who watch fewer than 2 hours of television per day are less likely to be overweight than those watching more hours of television per day.

• Reduce the time spent by your child in watching TV. Instead, involve them in physical activities and games. Parents can also involve in activities like going for walk or playing outdoor games.
• Reduce your child’s visits to fast food restaurants.
• Those children who have meals with their family tend to cultivate better eating habits than those who do not. Hence, those children who eat with the family are at a lower risk of being overweight.

Do not let your child feel bad about their body size or shape. Accepting, supporting and encouraging them helps build their self-esteem.