Though I practice ‘fitness-based’ weight management in the adult realm, I am frequently asked by my patients, what they can do to help their child or teenager lose weight and get healthier.
Helping the overweight child or teenager, in a way that promotes a healthy view of self can be a challenging assignment which requires expertise, gentle tact and the establishment of trust.

More often than not, the focus of treatment of adolescent or younger individuals is as much a family issue as an individual project. Children and adolescents are at the mercy and dietary discretion of their parents. Due to a lack of complete independence, financial or otherwise, younger dependents in a family must generally eat what is provided by those in charge. For parents who have an understanding of what constitutes healthy nutrition, the job at hand may center around creating behavior modification and reduction of high calorie soft drinks and ‘junk food’ in environments outside of the home, such as at school or at the home of friends.

In cases where there is a paucity of education and understanding as to what constitutes good nutrition within a family and particularly from a parental standpoint, the challenge can be more substantial, requiring some basic nutritional counseling for the entire family. In either case, laying the foundation regarding the importance of instituting and maintaining an active lifestyle at all stages of life, coupled with instilling awareness about the consequences of overweight and obesity, is a desired outcome, along with teaching the basics of good nutrition.

It is well known that children will often tend to follow in the footsteps of overweight or obese parents if that trend is not arrested at some point in one’s development. In some cases, genetic predisposition may trump all efforts to achieve a healthy bodyweight. Regardless, assisting the overweight child or adolescent to achieve a positive long-term outcome will often require an assertive and ongoing approach to management throughout a child’s development into early adulthood.

Seeking out qualified specialists in the field of pediatrics, as well as adolescent weight management specialists is a reasonable place to begin the search for help. For individuals who may be dealing with a particular dietary eating disorder, counseling and therapy are a must in the process of healing and achieving a positive sense of self in the long-run.