While he's 6, 16 or even 60, your child can enjoy good health and has a better chance of being healthier longer when you start early. We all expect our children to outlive us and enjoy living longer than people ever have, but these days, that may not be the case. Kids these days are of the first generation predicted to live shorter life spans than that of their parents. And it all boils down to what they're eating today. The obesity epidemic sweeping the United States is well-known, but its negative effects go well beyond childhood. An estimated 1 in 6 kids is severely overweight, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Pediatricians are seeing conditions develop in children that were once only seen in late adulthood, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which is incurable. But it's never too late to get them on the road to a long, healthy life. Nobody has as much control over what a child eats than his parents. But badgering a child about how he eats only creates more problems. Staying at a healthy pregnancy weight is the first step in managing your child's weight.
Eating too much can result in gestational diabetes, which predisposes the child to diabetes, and eating too little can cause the child's metabolism to work more slowly. Breastfed babies naturally stop eating when they're full, and parents who formula feed may feel compelled to give the baby the entire bottle. Your baby's doctor can advise you on how much formula to give your baby at each feeding. Develop healthy taste preferences in your baby when introducing solids, and offer a variety of nutritious foods, over and over, even if he rejects it the first time. In older kids, don't make treats completely off limits - that just increases their appeal. When children are allowed treats - not as a reward, but simply as part of their diet - they develop a healthier relationship with food.