Child behavior modification in food involves changing the attitude and the manner in which children perceive them. It is one of the effective options to deal with weight gain in children. There are increasing evidences that obesity has a psychological dimension to it apart from its genetic origin. Addressing this mental aspect early in children can bring down the menace of this physical disorder in American society.
Why Child Behavior Modification is Essential?
Though the rate of childhood obesity tripled in the United States between 1980-2000, it has stopped climbing above 32 percent according to the recent studies.
According to a study carried out by the American Obesity Association, 30 percent of parents were concerned about the weight gain in their wards. More than 5 percent of these parents believed that childhood obesity posed a threat to the long term health of their children.
In spite of these statistics revealing the gravity of the situation, 35 percent of parents prefer to place the responsibility on schools to teach the kids about the harmful affects of obesity. The buck has to stop somewhere and it ought to be the home in the first place.
Children have the scope to get addicted to fast foods and lead a sedentary life because of the unchecked comforts ensured by their parents. Hectic urban lifestyle, erratic work schedule of corporate sector and focus on leading luxurious life do not allow parents to spend quality time or monitor the daily lives of their kids. Absence of elders at home at crucial moments of learning contributes to the children developing faulty attitudes and habits on foods.
What are the Child Behavior Modification Steps for Treating Obesity?
- The parents have to prioritize whether addressing the weight gain in their child requires more attention or their next due promotion at the workplace.
- After ensuring their adequate presence at home with kids, it is time to identify the faulty practices of kids with food.
- Playful sessions can then be initiated where the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables and the demerits of eating fast foods and soft drinks are explained.
- Leading by example, parents should themselves allocate 30 minutes to an hour of time for exercising on a daily basis.
- Changes in the mindset of the kids will be quick as they will be delighted to find their parents around and doing things which they are instructed to do.
- Sleeping at a fixed time at night regularly and ensuring 6-8 hours of sleep goes a long way in addressing early childhood obesity.
- A Northwestern University study has found that an extra hour of sleep reduces the risk of being overweight in children from 36 percent to 30 percent.
- Older children too get benefited with adequate sleep as the risk in them for being overweight comes down from 34 percent to 30 percent.
