there are some simple and effective ounces of prevention parents can and should do to prevent obesity before it starts. start early before conception. overweight parents are more likely to have overweight children so healthy habits need to start well before birth. good prenatal care is needed to help achieve a healthy-weight baby (babies born both underweight and overweight both have a higher risk of obesity as adults. ) after baby is born breastfeeding can help prevent both over- and under-weight. don’t introduce juices or other sweet beverages. as a treat once in a while fine but don’t bring juice or kool-aid or soda or other sugary drinks into your home. keep televisions out of bedrooms. bedroom tv time contributes not only to obesity but also to depression school failure and social isolation. also don’t leave the tv on during meals. people who eat in front of a tv will mindlessly consume far more calories. eat together as a family using mealtimes to talk and enjoy time together. eat slowly. chew. eating slower really does give your body time to realize when you’re getting full. parents can set a good example not only at mealtimes but also by maintaining a healthy active lifestyle. allow each child to decide just how much of each offered food is eaten at each meal. parents provide the healthy choices then the kids decide how much to eat. do not offer food rewards or make one delicious food available only if another less desirable food is consumed. food is for eating not bargaining.
how do i prevent my children from becoming overweight?