Solutions For When Your Child Is “Backed Up”

When it comes to your kids, you want only the best for them. It starts with what you feed them. Over the last three decades, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents. Youngsters’ body mass indices (a person’s weight in pounds divided by the square of height in feet) top their parents’ list of health concerns in the United States. And that list includes drug abuse and smoking! Childhood overweightness has current and continuing consequences ontheir mental, physical and emotional states. 

At the office of Kiddies' Pal Pediatrics, we take a personalized approach for children who are at unhealthy weights and risk childhood obesity and its related conditions. Our expert team works with patients and their families to help make beneficial lifestyle decisions and alterations. We are dedicated to providing children and adolescents with peak-level, skilled care. We make our patients and their parents comfortable and happy during their visits. 

Positive lifestyle habits can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases such as high cholesterol and/or blood pressure, sleep apnea and diabetes, to name a few. Obesity can evolve into a nagging, permanent issue, which is why Kiddies' Pal Pediatrics meticulously supervises weight problems. We then deliver guidance about how to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle and size. 

Here are two suggestions to start with. 

Downsize the plate, upsize the veggies: Portion sizes are now two to five times larger than in years past. Studies have shown that the bigger the serving dish, the bigger the serving of food is likely to be. The U.S. Department of Health’s MyPlate program advises that half of a child’s plate should consist of vegetables and fruit, and the other half of grains and protein. The program has positive effects that add up over time.

Swap screen time for playtime: Make independent play an alternative to TV. Children ages 1 to 3 should get 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day, while preschoolers need 90 to 120 minutes. Regular exercise helps children stay at a healthy weight, strengthens their hearts, and builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles and joints. 

At the office of Kiddies' Pal Pediatrics, we’ll give you the tools you need to give your child the best lifestyle and nutritional options for a healthy life. Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with us today.