This will affect their confidence as well as increasing their risk of diabetes & numerous health issues later on in life. Teaching your child to eat correctly from an early age is a sound investment in years to come. Here are some useful guidelines and tips to assist your child in losing weight:

• Don’t force your child to finish their meal if they are full (important though to enforce the rule that all vegetables get eaten first)
• Totally cut out sugar from their diet and when you do give an occasional treat make sure it is a sugar-free chocolate or sweet (there are plenty sugar-free options available at Dischem & Health Stores)
• Always have healthy snacks available at home for your child to choose from
• Remember that you are the parent and you have total control of what your child eats. It is best not to give them a choice but to just prepare the meal and offer it to them to eat
• Bribery really does work! Offer an outing or your time as a reward for eating all their fruit & vegetables
• If you do reward your child with a “tuckshop day” make sure you only give them enough money to buy proper food and perhaps a drink. Giving your child a large sum of money for the tuckshop is a recipe for disaster!
• I cannot stress enough how important exercise is. Get your child involved in activities that they enjoy and if possible make it a family activity so that way you all benefit.

Author bio: Jenette White is a qualified Nutrition Consultant with a special interest in children’s health. "As a parent I can see such a positive change in my own children’s health just from eating healthy and I would like to share some idea’s and guidelines with you on healthy eating as well as creating quick & easy, healthy lunchboxes."For more lunchbox ideas and healthy eating advice contact Jenette White on 0828866838 or alternatively visit my “School Lunchbox Blog”  at www.pureinessence.co.za.

*This article is copyrighted. You are welcome to share it, without altering the contents, giving proper credit to the author and link to this article. Please note Moomie is not a medical website. All information provided here are to be used at your own discretion. Always consult your caregiver for medical advice.