Are you worried that your pre-teen may be gaining weight? A major growth spurt often occurs during the pre-teen (middle school) years. Every part of a child’s body changes in size and proportion. Appetite increases, eating increases and often kids become heavier before their height takes off. The extra weight gain can concern parents. Should it?
It depends, says registered dietitian and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson Sarah Krieger. “More homework, more computer time, more snacking, less parental control over what’s eaten and fewer kids playing sports can put on pounds.” Add in their sense of uncertainty and cascade of emotional changes, and you have the perfect storm for weight issues.
How a parent deals with these changes is important, notes Krieger. “Done well, a parent establishes a solid foundation for a lifetime of healthy habits; if not, a child’s relationship with food may suffer and even result in pre-eating disorder problems.”
The best way to determine if weight changes are worrisome is to plot a child’s weight, height and body mass index (BMI) on growth charts, says Roberta Anding, MS, RD, Director of Sports Nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital. BMI charts help measure weight-for-stature against age and, when plotted over several years (from age 2 on is recommended), they show weight and growth trends. With the help of your health care provider you can see if your child’s weight is moving in a good direction or if a notable change has occurred that needs attention.
If the trend in your child’s weight should be addressed, take the high road, says Anding. “Preaching, nagging and constant comments about food choices is counter-productive.” Research suggests that parents who try to keep their child thinner by restricting and restraining foods, actually raise heavier kids. Krieger and Anding offer these tips for helping your pre-teen achieve a healthy weight:
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