Focus on Your Children’s Health, Not Their Weight
Recently, WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, introduced a Health Coaching app for kids called Kurbo. Obviously, it is intended for weight loss , although the diet is not suitable for many children and can lead to malnutrition. The guidelines say that healthy approaches to weight management in children should focus on healthy eating and exercise rather than diet.
The company faced backlash as experts argued that the app’s approach took into account the habits and thinking patterns that underlie eating disorders in adolescents . So, if you’ve thought about downloading this app (or suspect your child might be interested in it), here are some of the approaches you might want to consider.
Talk to your child’s doctor
If you are concerned about your child’s weight or what he is eating, discuss the situation with your doctor. A professional can help you figure out if your child needs help controlling their weight and what kind of help is best for you.
According to the National Institutes of Health , a good weight management program for children adapts to the age of the child and:
- includes a variety of healthcare providers including psychologists and nutritionists (so you probably don’t want to start and end with a pediatrician’s general advice, although that might be a solid starting point)
- assesses the weight, height and health of the child throughout the program
- helps the whole family develop healthy eating and exercise habits that will last even after the program is completed
WW says it builds on a successful Stanford University program that uses a traffic light system to help kids identify high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. But despite this similarity, there are several significant differences between this app and a physician-controlled, face-to-face program. As Brad Stulberg points out at Outside , Stanford’s program tests children when they enter, forces them to meet regularly for class sessions, and engages the entire family. The app won’t do that. It also won’t be able to detect signs of an eating disorder unless you pay for health coaching, which is an optional extra.
Avoid dieting
The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that diet is a risk factor for both eating disorders and obesity. This is true even if the child is initially not overweight, so it is especially important to start a conversation with your pediatrician.
Curbo classifies foods according to the traffic light system mentioned above: green is foods you can eat in unlimited quantities (mostly fruits and vegetables), yellow is foods you can eat but needs to be tracked, and red is foods you can eat. you shouldn’t eat. too much. In a program like Stanford, this may well be a useful approach. But categorizing foods as “good” and “bad” is also common in eating disorders. You can easily snack on “good” food or treat “bad” food as forbidden fruit. So it’s easy to see how this app or similar restrictive programs can encourage this behavior and do more harm than good in helping kids learn healthy habits.
Eat family meals
Eating together helps children develop healthy eating habits, and children who eat with their families are less prone to eating disorders . Family meals give you the opportunity to serve healthy food and the kids can see the food on the table and are being eaten (even if they don’t want to eat the particular food this time). Both adults and children tend to eat better structured meals than if we had a snack throughout the day. Also, mealtime is an opportunity to socialize with each other. It’s a good idea whether you are worried about your child’s eating habits or not.
Make them move
Exercise can help children control their weight, but it is also beneficial for health regardless of their height. The rules already say that children must exercise for at least an hour a day. As part of this, they should do muscle-strengthening exercises three times a week, bone-strengthening exercises three times a week, and vigorous aerobic exercise three times a week.
It might sound like a lot, but doing so many exercises in the name of fun is not difficult. If your child plays sports, he may already be eligible. Young children can stay active by climbing playgrounds and playing jogging games such as tags. So if your child is not currently exercising enough, there are many ways to get started. It’s important to note that you don’t need to – and probably shouldn’t – think of exercise as a weight loss tool or a way to earn food (even if our spoiled adult brain goes there right away); it can be just play, fun and the opportunity to go outside or see what our body is capable of.
Avoid Talking About Weight
When we talk about body weight critically, children pick up more connotations than we think. They also hear how we speak negatively about our own body. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends listening to what your child has to say about their weight, but not adding any negative comments (and consulting a pediatrician or other weight specialist). We can eat healthy foods and exercise a lot without overwhelming our body .
Even if your child’s size tells you he needs help with healthy eating and exercise, focusing on weight isn’t necessarily the best way to do it – even in your own head. Losing weight is rarely successful in the long term, but people of all sizes can learn better habits and become healthier , whether their weight changes or not. For example, Health All Sizes recommends finding joy on the move, eating when hungry and stopping when full, and learning how to shed the emotional baggage you may have associated with food. Diet programs and apps like Kurbo do little to achieve these goals.