Why Popular Weight Loss Methods Don’t Work For Kids
Cases of childhood obesity are increasing at almost the same alarming rate as adult obesity. Parents know well about the health risks associated with obesity, which is why many are spending millions of dollars on doctors and nutritionists just in the hope that their kids can lose weight and become fit.
And a growing number of doctors, nutritionists and fitness trainers see this trend as an opportunity to market their wares. They are promoting exercise equipment, food supplements, diet pills, expensive exercise videos, as well as other stuff by banking on the parents’ fear. And parents are only too willing to fork out cash for these things.
Almost all of these weight loss methods are effective in general, but when you are trying to help your kid lose weight, you are playing a different game altogether. Unlike adults, it is not easy to force a child to modify his lifestyle habits. Children don’t take it kindly if they’re made to adjust to some rigorous form of lifestyle, especially when they are accustomed to an easy-going life!
Here is why some of the most popular weight loss methods won’t work for kids:
1. Food replacements: Most kids won’t eat anything else except junk foods. It is pretty hard to make them eat low-calorie foods because they lack taste! Children are more interested in stuffing their stomach with fast foods because they taste great, which is why food supplements and meal replacements hardly appeal to them! Ask your kid to eat a burger, and then ask him to eat a raw carrot. See which of the two options he chooses!
2. Exercise videos: Kids would rather watch video games or surf the internet or listen to an IPod, rather than watch exercise videos or listen to a fitness instructor.
3. Weight loss pills: You know well that most of the weight loss pills available in the market are not safe, and even the so-called ‘herbal’ pills are not without their share of controversies. I don’t think any parent in his right kind would ever risk the health of his kid by making him pop any of these pills, especially when there is no scientific proof that they are safe for kids!
As you can see, making a kid lose weight is quite a Herculean task to say the least! If you really want your kid to lose weight, your best bet is to find a weight loss program which has minimal restrictions – esp. on foods, seems to be viable, and can be followed for a long time. Basically, if you can find a program which is custom made for kids, than that is even better! Weight loss programs that recommend exercises and workouts usually won’t appeal to kids!
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