My boy’s weight is worrying

Hi, I am a parent of an almost teenage boy in the later years of his primary education. Lately, I have realised that his eating habits have come with extra weight which has made him add almost 20 kilos. He is increasingly getting lazy and this brings a fear that he might eat himself into trouble if we don’t do something, the trouble is how do we do it!

The percentage of overweight children is growing at an alarming rate in most developing countries.

Many children spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-games.

And today’s busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people.

Preventing children from becoming overweight means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together.

Helping children lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example. In young children, often all that is required to stabilise weight are a few key changes: controlling portion sizes at mealtimes, choosing healthy snacks, making family takeaway dinners a rare treat and getting enough daily exercise to get “a little bit sweaty and out of breath”.

Among teenagers, breaking the weight cycle can be tougher, so short-term goals are best.

For those 12 and over, parents can effectively broach the issue with reasoned questions such as: “Do you really like those foods?

How do you know a child is overweight? Body mass index testing - a calculation that adjusts weight for height - is less useful because the index charts are based on research on adults and projected back for children.

Dr Matt Sabin suggests using a tape to measure a child’s waist circumference - but, again, do it sensitively. As a rule of thumb, “anyone’s waist should be no more than half the value of their height”. Measure everyone in the household, rather than single out a child. And do it no more than fortnightly or, preferably, monthly.

It’s important not to be too strict, Sabin says, because that can make them give up. Children and teens shouldn’t be encouraged to follow commercial diets, especially during puberty. Parents sometimes worry that tackling obesity in childhood will lead to eating disorders later in life but Sabin says there’s no real evidence to suggest a link.

One in 100 obese children referred to specialist services such Sabin’s has an underlying medical, genetic or hormonal cause for weight gain.

But sometimes, parents simply need help with their overweight children.