A growing epidemic that many are aware of, especially if you are a parent is the number of obesity cases among children. When children are overweight this can lead to an increase in diabetes or other serious health effects. However, the solution to losing weight is simple; you need to eat less and exercise more. Although for adults it is hard to stay motivated and for kids it is even more difficult since they often don’t fully under the health effects that result from being overweight.

So how can you help your children to lose weight and stay healthy? It is important that you stick to the basics. Don’t focus on the details such as counting calories, carbohydrates or fat grams. Rather just give them healthy meals and snacks while encouraging a variety of regular physical exercise. It is also helpful if you are a good role model in this area for your child when they are young. As a result it can be easier for the whole family to stay healthy.

If you have a child that is already overweight then you will probably have to make some changes to their diet. But this won’t be as hard as you think. You don’t have to count ever calorie in all foods and drinks, especially since you don’t what you kid is eating at school. Rather just keep in mind the simple fact that a pound is equal to 3500 calories. Therefore, if your child is gaining a pound per week then you need to cut their diet by 3500 calories each week or 500 calories a day in order to stop any future weight gain. Thankfully many children don’t have to worry about this drastic of a change to their diet. The average teenager gains an extra ten to fifteen pounds a year which is only 100 to 150 calories per day which is about the same as a single can of non-diet soda.

For overweight children the first goal you need to reach is to stop gaining weight. You can use the method suggested above or try to stay below a set goal. Simply you need to determine how much weight your child gained in a year and then adjust their diet to compensate for the extra calories. This change can be as simple as giving non-fat milk, a diet soda or a healthier snack after school.

However, stopping future weight gain is only a part of the issue. If your child is overweight then they will also need to lose weight. This is simply done with an easy calculation. If your child’s weight is stable and you want them to lose five pounds a year then you need to cut out fifty calories per day from their diet. If you want them to lose ten pound then cut one hundred calories a day. If you notice your child is still gaining weight then you may need to cut additional calories until you reach a point that your child is reasonably losing excess weight.