Weight problem in kids has become a course of concern all over the globe. It has led to the rise of many lifestyle problems, including osteoporosis, fatty liver, heart ailments, childhood diabetes, asthma, and more. Obese and overweight children are also at risk of bullying, body image stress and anxiety, depression, and insecurities.

One of the best gifts overweight children can be given is to help them gain healthy weight. Below are some of the ways you can develop a practical weight loss program for kids:

Give Them a Low-Glycemic Diet

The glycemic index is defined as the ability of carbs to raise blood sugar. Multiple studies suggest that a low-glycemic diet takes longer to digest and can keep one full for longer. This ensures the body’s blood sugar remains stable. This diet is less refined or processed and have more fiber. If you give your overweight child low-glycemic foods, there is no doubt he will lose weight in no time.

Of course, giving your child a low-glycemic diet doesn’t mean that you eliminate carbs entirely. Look – young ones require carbohydrates for energy. Make sure you select low or medium-glycemic carbs such as carrots, apples, nuts, peanut butter, fruits, honey, cheese, milk, sweet potatoes, and banana. Avoid foods such as pizza, popcorn, instant oats, and other refined foods. When you do this and invest in a good home playground/gym for your kid, there is no reason why he shouldn’t shed some extra weight!

Ensure Their Diet Is More Fruits and Vegetables

Even if you find out that your child doesn’t love fruits and vegetables, the best decision you can make is to add it to their diet. Add these foods in different colors so that you can make the process of consuming them fun and exciting.  For a more healthy weight, serve whole fruits instead of fruit juices. Fruits lose their fiber in the juicing process, and added sugars could add more calories that could lead to weight gain. Make sure you do research or talk to a nutritionist before adding fruits and veggies to your child’s diet since some fruits have high glycemic and may not aid weight loss.

Give Them More Water

Children love sweet drinks. They prefer soft drinks, soda, energy drinks, and more instead of water. If you give them whatever they want for long, they will add weight, which could have adverse effects on their overall wellbeing. The best drink to quench their thirst and keep them healthy is water.

Ensure They Get Enough Sleep

Another way to develop a weight loss program for kids is to ensure they get enough sleep. If you spend hours on end watching movies or playing games with your child, this could be the major culprit for their weight gain. Ideally, children should sleep for 9-11 hours every day. Getting enough sleep is essential for early childhood development. It is also critical in metabolism, which helps maintain their body weight.

Minimize Salt and Sugar

Once in a while, it is good to treat your child with sugary foods such as flavored drinks, candies, sweetened beverages, yogurt, and more. These foods are high in calories and are attributed to weight gain. When your child craves sweet foods, settle for low-sugar alternatives such as fruit ice pops, fruit salads, home-made fruit puree, and whole fruits. Also, you need to minimize their salt intake. The high sodium content found in salt forces the body to retain a lot of water and bloat up. Therefore, avoid canned foods, table salt, and frozen foods that are high on sodium.

Take advantage of these useful tips for parents to tackle child obesity and your young ones will maintain healthy weight in no time. Good luck!