Weight loss for kids is key to prevent premature chronic disease due to obesity.

Weight loss for kids is no joke. And if you don’t do something, there’s an 80% chance your child will grow up to be an overweight or obese adult.

Which means they’ll be at risk for a life of chronic diseases like, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. Not to mention what obesity can do to damage their self-esteem.

Maybe you’re asking yourself how things got so out of hand, or maybe you already know.

Because controlling your kids weight is not brain surgery. It’s just a sensible diet and regular exercise.

Kids normally need a certain number of calories each day (energy allowance) that their bodies use as energy for normal daily activities (walking, breathing, etc.).

WEIGHT LOSS FOR KIDS CALORIE INFO:

This ranges for boys from 2000 calories for a 7-10 year old, 2500 calories for an 11-14 year old, and 3000 calories for a 15-18 year old.

For girls the ranges are from 2000 calories for a 7-10 year old, to 2200 calories for an 11-18 year old.

These are only estimates and some children need more (fast metabolism) or less (slow metabolism) of an energy allowance for daily activities.

The problem always is, if a child consumes more food and calories than is required by their energy allowance, than those excess calories are converted to fat for storage.

But the good news is, if a child consumes less food and calories than is required by their energy allowance, then their body fat is converted to energy and they start to lose weight.

So over weight kids can start losing weight by either eating fewer calories each day or by exercising (burning more calories each day), or both (this is best).

Either way, body fat will be burned and converted to energy and they will begin to lose weight.

But remember, you’re the adult here and in control of the environment in which your kids live. So if you want them to change (lose weight), you’ve got to make some changes. They look to you to lead.

1. LIMIT TV & VIDEO GAMES: Start limiting television viewing to about one or two hours each day (this includes playing video games or using the computer). Watching television doesn't use up many calories and it encourages eating unhealthy foods and unhealthy habits. If you continue you will raise a couch potato.

2. START HEALTHY EATING HABITS: Weight loss for kids is never about not eating. Your child should eat three well-balanced meals of average size each day, plus two nutritious snacks (we're talking 5 small meals a day). Discourage skipping of meals (especially breakfast). This never works, it just makes them over eat at the next meal.

3. HEALTHY SNACKS: You should limit snacks to two each day and they can include low-calorie foods, such as raw fruits or vegetables. Avoid using high calorie or high fat foods for snacks, especially chips, cookies, etc and never over processed fast food.

4. WATER: Try and encourage your child to drink four to six glasses of water each day, especially before meals. Water has no calories and it will help you to feel full. Try and lose the sodas and sugar packed fruit drinks, diet or not, just a bunch of chemicals and stick with low fat milk.

5. DAILY JOURNAL: Help your child to keep a daily journal of food and beverage intake and also of the amount of time that is spent watching television, playing videogames and exercising. They can also record their weight each week (but every day).

Do your kid a favor and don’t encourage them to eat too much. Instead encourage them to get outside and get active, running around, jumping around, and rolling around. That’s how they burn the fat. And encourage them to do it everyday. The result: Weight loss for kids.

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