Ask Mary

Talk to your pediatrician who might recommend weight maintenance until the growth period has ended.  Instead of dieting, cook in ways to reduce fat, skip fast foods and rid the house of “junk food”.  Between-meal snacks should consist of cereal, fruit, yogurt, sandwiches, leftovers, and other “real food”. Those options will appeal to truly hungry people.  Kids need a minimum of 60-minutes of active play everyday and TV time should be limited to 2 hours. Over time, your child should gravitate to a healthy weight on that plan.  Read about how to help your overweight child at About.com.