There is no secret that obesity in children is a national epidemic. There are several things parents can do to help their child.
First get rid of all liquid sugar. Kids rarely drink water and instead consume considerable amounts of Coke, Gatorade, and Kool-Aid. Coke has 150 calories per can. Liquid sugar typically accounts for more than 500 unneeded calories per day. Multiply 500 calories times 365 day a year and you have 250,00 calories a year in liquid sugar. There are 3,500 calories in a pound, so that’s 60 lbs a year.
Next eliminate the “white and fluffies,” the refined carbohydrates without fiber. That includes bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. These foods should be substituted with ” brown and crunchies” such as brown rice, lentils, nuts and other legumes.
When children ask for second helpings, parents should implement a 20-minute waiting period. That’s how long it takes for the body to know it is full.
Finally, television goes hand in hand with obesity. Let your child watch as much TV as they want with one proviso – they watch it while on a treadmill.