'Help! My child's overweight'

By Sarah Purcell

It's no fun being overweight and particularly difficult if you're a child. By looking at ways to change his diet and lifestyle you will be helping improve not only your child's long-term health but hopefully boost his confidence as well.

A growing problem
Why children are getting fatter
Is my child fat?
Dealing with obesity
Improving his diet
Boost his confidence
Get him moving

A growing problem
We can all remember the fat kids in our class - not because of their personality but because they were different, and often the butt of jokes and teasing. But walk into a classroom today and you'll probably see several fat children - some 15-20% of children in the UK are now classed as overweight.

In childhood, being fat still carries a huge social stigma and the emotional trauma the child experiences can leave deep scars as well as a host of health implications in adulthood, such as an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, infertility and depression.

Why children are getting fatter
A combination of poor eating habits and not enough physical activity are the main culprits.

Many children live on a diet of junk food, fizzy drinks and convenience meals, all of which are high in fat and sugar. Studies have also shown that young children spend less time being active and more time watching TV, playing computer games, doing homework or reading than they did 20 years ago

Is my child fat?
"It's important to have a suspected weight problem checked out," says Hazel Riggall, community paediatric dietician for Southall health care in the Midlands. "We need to weigh and measure your child and compare that with the expected average for his age to find out if he's really overweight or perhaps just going through a period of rapid growth which will even itself out in a year or so."

Your GP or health visitor can work out your child's Body Mass Index (BMI) figure, which divides his weight in kilograms by his height in metres squared. Depending on your child's age and height, the health professional can then work out whether he is, in fact, overweight. If he is, you may be referred to a dietician for advice.

Dealing with obesity
Overweight children are aware of their difference from an early age, says psychologist Deanne Jade, director of the group Focus on Weight. "They absorb messages from society, friends and family about being fat. Then they either become miserable and eat even more, or blame themselves for their problem, or become aggressive or shamed about their bodies. Fat children generally under perform at school, they often feel lonely and isolated. It can be very damaging on an emotional level."

Jade says it's important to deal with your child's weight problem in a sensitive and subtle way, otherwise you risk your child becoming defiant and finding ways to eat the food you've forbidden them, putting on even more weight than ever. Read Deanne's tips for dealing with children with weight problems

Improving his diet
"Take a good look at what your child eats each day, both at home and outside. Around 10% of our dietary intake should come from fat, but some children eat as much as 40%," says Tam Fry of the Child Growth Foundation.

Cut down on fats and sugar in his diet. "Substitute fizzy drinks for low-sugar versions, make snacks like crisps, biscuits and sweets an occasional treat, not part of his daily diet," says Sara Clarke, senior dietician at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

You may believe that so-called 'children's' foods are healthy, but in fact foods like chicken nuggets are high in fat. It's much better to get children used to eating 'adult' meals from an early age - that way you have more control over what they eat.

Persuade your children to eat enough fruit and vegetables each day - around five portions per day. If they're not keen, why not offer incentives for eating healthy foods, such as a star chart with a reward at the end.

Finally, talk about healthy eating and not dieting, which might make your child feel deprived and crave the things you cut out. "Emphasise that healthy eating is good for you so he gets positive messages about it," adds Sara Clarke.

Boost his confidence
Many overweight children suffer with low self-esteem and this can only make the problem worse as they take comfort in foods like chocolate and crisps. Deanne Jade suggests teaching your child how to manage teasing and jokes, perhaps by acting out a situation with him and working out a way he could deal with it. Many overweight children are embarrassed about their bodies and try to hide under baggy, unflattering clothes. Don't tell your child he's too fat for his football shorts, or for the tight top her friends wear - let them wear what they want and feel confident, not excluded.

If your child avoids socialising because he fears teasing and ridicule, encourage him to make friends by inviting classmates for tea or on outings.

The happier he feels, the easier it will be for him to overcome his weight problem.

Get him moving
A healthy diet is just half the equation - being more physically active is just as important for keeping weight off long-term. If your child is a couch potato, try the following exercises

Sarah Purcell is a freelance journalist who specialises in health. She lives in Tonbridge, Kent, with her teacher husband and their two daughters, aged two and four

Also see

'How I helped my overweight child' - a parent's story

9 steps to a confident child