Children who are a healthy weight enjoy healthier lives with fewer health problems in later life. They often enjoy better fitness, self-confidence and emotional wellbeing compared with children who are under- or overweight. That’s why if your child is a healthy weight, it’s important to support them in remaining that way as they grow and change.
Is your child a healthy weight?
A simple measure of whether your child is a healthy weight is to calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI). This is their weight in kilograms divided by their height in metres squared. The NHS has a BMI calculator that can automatically do the maths for you and show where along the scale of weight your child sits i.e. underweight, healthy weight or overweight.
You can check your child’s BMI every three months to ensure that their weight is still within healthy limits.
5 ways to help your child stay at a healthy weight
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Get active with your child
Encourage your child to get moving with at least an hour of physical activity every day. This doesn’t need to be carried out in one go. You can break it up into four 15-minute sessions.
To encourage your child to stay active, engage in physical activities with them and also show them that you’re making exercise and physical activity an important part of your week.
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Serve up child-sized meals
Make sure your child eats child-sized portions of food. It can be difficult to figure out how much is the right amount, so start small and if your child is still hungry, you can increase their portion size.
Using child-sized plates can help you avoid serving up adult-sized portions. Also, if your child is full and can’t finish their meal, don’t force them.
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Follow a healthy, balanced diet
Make sure your child gets the right balance of nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates, protein and whole grains. Avoid high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt foods. Your child can still have sweets and desserts but these should be a treat and eaten in moderation.
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Keep to a healthy bedtime routine
Poor sleep is linked to poor concentration but also poor diet and weight gain. So make sure your child gets enough sleep and keeps to a regular sleep schedule i.e. going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each night. Before bed, avoid screens and engage in activities that will help them relax and get ready for sleep, such as reading.
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Make changes as a family
If you need to change your child’s diet, activity levels or lifestyle to help them maintain a healthy weight, try to make it a family event. Trying out new meals and activities together provides great encouragement for your child to join in and stick with it.
Follow these 5 tips and you can watch your child flourish as they grow with a healthy weight through the years. Plus, if you’re worried that their diet isn’t giving them everything they need for a healthy, balanced digestive system, Healthy Influence can help with IDLife’s Kids Probiotic & Vitamins.
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