Healthy Diets for Overweight Children

Every decade, kids seem to get fatter. While overweight kids were once in the minority, today many more American children can be considered obese. In addition to providing them with calorie-burning activities, you should also pay close attention to the foods your child eats.

Vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet. Not only are they full of great nutrients your kids can't get anywhere else, but they also are good at making your kids feel full. Most vegetables are full of fiber. Fiber helps aid digestion, but it also makes their stomachs feel full longer. Pick vegetables that are rich in fiber, such as broccoli, spinach and asparagus. A good way to get your child to eat vegetables is to have him help in the kitchen. When you're busy making dinner, ask your son to chop and steam the broccoli, showing him how to do it along the way. If he has a hand in making the food, he'll be more apt to eat it himself.

Vitamin C, protein and fiber are all an important part of a healthy diet. Your children can get all of these nutrients when they eat bananas, apples and oranges. These fruits are much cheaper than the supposedly healthy boxed fruit snacks you find in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. While children are more apt to eat fruit on their own, they still might need a push. Instead of trusting them to peel their own oranges, do the prepping for them. Leaving out a plate of orange or apple slices during family TV time will raise the chance of your daughter's healthy snacking.

Although vegetables and fruit provide a lot of nutrition, lean proteins are important as well. Instead of feeding your children steak or fast-food hamburgers, choose chicken and turkey for dinner. These meats are high in protein and good monounsaturated fats. If you find that your child is unhappy with turkey replacing her cheeseburgers, give her the option of using barbecue sauce on her dinner. Barbecue sauce has few calories and can add a fun and yummy taste to her meal.