One of the biggest health problems Americans face these days is obesity. This is a problem in itself, but it can also cause a number of other health issues. The thing about obesity is that it can start at a young age, and once it does it’s hard to stop it. In fact, 90% of obese adolescents are still obese in adulthood. The key to avoiding this is to get your child on the right track to a healthy lifestyle.
Teach good habits
One of the best things you can do to help your child grow up healthy and lead a healthy life is to teach good habits early. Teach your child how to read food labels and what they mean. Keep good food in the house and encourage good habits like eating a balanced meal at meal times and avoid snacking late at night.
Encourage exercise
Another one of the best things you can do to help your child avoid becoming obese is to encourage exercise. You might consider signing her up for a team sport to keep her active. You might also consider planning active family activities like a daily walk or hiking on the weekends.
Get pediatric care
Though planning a good diet and ensuring exercise are both really effective ways to keep your child healthy, you should also involved your pediatric physician to help you. Some weight issues are indicative of a more serious health problem, and every diet and exercise plan should be approved by a doctor to ensure its safety.
Pediatric care is so important when it comes to your child’s weight because obesity can cause diseases like diabetes — which an estimated 215,000 children suffer from. Finding a pediatrician who specializes in nutrition might be a good option if your child already has a weight problem. Make a list of pediatricians who do, and then look for a pediatric office in your area to find the right one to help you.
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