Meigs Health Today: Maintaining a Child’s Healthy Weight

By Wendy McGee, RD, LD

As parents and caregivers, we hope our children will be healthy. An important action we can take to achieve this is helping our children maintain a healthy weight.

According to trends studied by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, infants and children that are at a healthy weight grow to be a healthy weight in adulthood. Being at a healthy weight in childhood and adulthood reduces the risk of having asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure.

Breastfeeding our infant is greatly recommended to reduce obesity. Learn the hunger signs, and when they are full. Find other ways to soothe your baby when they are fussy instead of overfeeding.

Infants do not need solids until around 6 months old. They are ready when they can sit without support, reach for things and open their mouth for a spoon. Your baby will let you know when they are full by closing their mouth, turning their head or spitting the food out

At 12 months children can self-feed table foods. Serve the vegetables first, when they are the hungriest. Then provide a fruit, whole grain and a protein such as meat, eggs, fish or beans. Your child should be drinking from an open cup. Provide only 4-6 ounces of juice a day. Between meals provide water for thirst; and fruit and vegetables for snack.

To keep active, help your child balance, walk and climb. Play by jumping, stacking, pulling toys, throwing and kicking balls. Limit TV time and do not let them sit for more than 30 minutes.

From ages 2-5 your main job is to provide the healthy food and it is the child’s job to choose whether to eat it and how much to eat. Continue to build the meal upon vegetables. Do not provide them separate meals and don’t allow snacks to replace meals. When having snacks provide fruit, vegetables, yogurt and cheese.

At age 2 they can march and dance. Use your words to say out loud whatever they do. Play chase, tag, hide and seek, use puzzles and Legos.

At age 3 they can try a tricycle, begin to use descriptive words, balance on one foot, color and paint, use sidewalk chalk, card games, and pretend with tools and kitchen things.

At age 4 they can try riding a bike and learn hopscotch. Begin to carry on a conversation while walking, biking or playing together. Help them start to practice with bat or racket and teamwork games.

At age 5 encourage daily play of one hour or more and make it a part of the family routine. They can learn to walk backward, play with bean bags, and skip. When reading books out loud, your child can act them out, at meals chat about the healthy choices and how it helps the body and brain, and when playing, teach the body parts at play such as legs, hands, muscles and heart. They can also begin to try dominoes, board and playdough. Even try to get the neighborhood parents and children involved in kickball, tee-ball, soccer or basketball.

To have parenting guidance at your fingertips download the app “Parenting at Mealtime and Playtime” in the Apple App Store or on Google Play developed by Ohio Department of Health and American Academy of Pediatrics.

If you are a pregnant mother or have a child under age 5, call the Meigs County Women Infant and Children Program (WIC) at 740-992-0392 to see if you are eligible for supplemental healthy foods and nutrition education.