Weight management

How you go about making changes to your child's diet and lifestyle can be made easier by adopting a more authoritative style of parenting. This can allow you to set and maintain boundaries and provide the support and guidance your child needs.  

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a crude way to assess if your child is overweight.

It is important to note that it does not tell the difference between muscle and fat, give you a body fat percentage or consider the child's ethnic background or physical activity levels. However, it can give you an idea of your child's weight status.

To calculate the BMI of your child please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/health-assessment-tools/calculate-your-body-mass-index/calculate-bmi-for-children-teenagers

Healthy eating means choosing a balanced, nourishing diet that supports your body's needs for growth, energy and overall well-being.

It's not about strict rules or denying yourself food. Follow this link to see how much of what we eat overall should come from each major food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/

Watch the video to learn more about healthy eating and why parental role modelling is important.

Children's portion sizes are typically smaller than adult portions. It's important to adjust them based on a child's age, appetite, and activity level.

1. Fruit and vegetables. Portion size: About the size of your child's cupped hand. Daily recommendation: Aim for 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day.
2. Starchy Foods (Carbohydrates). Portion size: About the size of your child's fist for foods like bread, potatoes, or pasta. Daily recommendation: Offer starchy foods at each meal, choosing whole grains when possible.
3. Protein (Meat, Fish, Beans, and Alternatives). Portion size: Roughly the size of the palm of your child's hand or the amount that fits into their cupped hand. Daily recommendation: Include 2-3 portions of protein-rich foods per day. For younger children, offer smaller portions.
4. Dairy and Dairy Alternatives. Portion size: About 100-125ml (small glass) of milk or a small pot of yogurt (about 120g) or  a matchbox-sized piece of cheese (15-20g). Daily recommendation: Offer 2-3 servings per day of dairy or dairy alternatives, making sure they're fortified with calcium if plant-based.
5. Fats and Oils. Portion size: Children need smaller amounts of fats and oils compared to adults. Daily recommendation: Use small amounts of unsaturated fats like olive oil or vegetable oil in cooking.
6. Sugary or high fat snacks. Portion size: Foods like biscuits, crisps, or chocolate should be kept small and occasional. Daily recommendation: Limit sugary and high-fat snacks and have them occasionally rather than every day.

Your child's diet may be a long way from what is described above. Start by making small changes and build on these changes each week.  

General tips for managing portion sizes:

• Listen to hunger cues: Encourage children to eat when they're hungry and stop when they feel full.
• Plate sizes: Use smaller plates and bowls to better suit child-sized portions and avoid overloading plates.
• Variety: Serve a range of foods from all food groups to ensure children get the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.

Please visit this page for more information about portion sizes: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/creating-a-healthy-diet/portion-sizes/

Shop bought meals, sauces, take-aways etc can be convenient and useful for busy families. However, when cooking a meal at home, YOU are in charge of what goes into a meal and, as well as often being healthier, it can also be more cost effective. There are lots of places to get inspiration for healthy, balanced family meals. Here are just a few suggestions:

NHS Healthier Families: https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/

BBC Good Food has lots of recipes including budget healthy recipes: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/cheap-and-healthy-recipes

Jamie Oliver Healthy Recipes: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/healthy-meals/

Watch the video to learn more about why family meals and eating together is important as children learn behaviour from watching parents. The video also discusses the importance of sleep.

Being active is an important part of a child's development. It improves physical health and fitness; supports cognitive development; helps with mental health and emotional well-being; is important for social development; helps develop healthy habits for life; and improves motor skills. Finding an activity that your child enjoys might take a bit of time but it's worth the effort. There are lots of ways to find out what is going on in your area such as contacting your school or local health centre, using social media, talking to other local families or looking at local notice boards.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:  Cubs and Scouts, Rainbow and Girl Guides, boxing, joining a gym, Joe Wicks online videos, yoga, Pilates, gymnastics, Cadets, cycling, orienteering, gardening, cricket, rugby, football, go ape, karate, judo, trampolining, skating, swimming, walking, climbing, horse riding, dance and parkrun. Many of these activities are free. Here is a link for parkrun which actively welcomes all ages and all abilities:   https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Finding something that your child enjoys is crucial. It's also important to role model being active. Watch the video below to learn more.

The information provided on this webpage has been developed to support parents and carers in creating a healthy diet and lifestyle for the children that they care for. The aim is to help them have a healthier relationship with food and their bodies. Watch the video below to help bring all the information together and to see tips on managing discussions around food and activity with your child without causing harm.