Practical help
What practical help can I give?
To promote a healthy lifestyle, children should be encouraged to:
- Increase their physical activity
- Adopt healthier eating habits
- Reduce the time spent doing sedentary activities
Think of it as a long-term change rather than a quick fix. Here are some general guidelines:
- Be a role model – they should see that you exercise and eat a balanced diet.
- Encourage the whole family to make healthy food choices and become a more active rather than singling out your overweight child.
- Do not impose restrictions on their eating habits that are different from other family members.
- Limit TV viewing and computer time for the whole family. Don`t eat in front of the TV.
- Always talk about food in a positive way. Discourage talk about weight unless the child brings it up.
How can children be encouraged to be more active? … Follows…
