HELPFUL HINTS FOR FAMILY LIFE How can I help my young child lose weight?

An early years expert explains parents should focus on the amazing things healthy food and exercise can do for our bodies.

My four-year-old daughter is overweight, but we struggle to get her to eat healthy foods and try new things.

How can we talk to her about weight and eating in a way she’ll understand?

Child psychologist and early years teacher

Hannah Tranah, childcare development manager at Storal Learning nurseries (storal-learning.co.uk), says: ‘Talking to children about weight and size in the wrong way can be harmful, so it’s important to go about this the right way – you want them to be healthy, but you also want them to be accepting of their bodies. ‘For very young children, the best thing to do is avoid any discussion around weight, size or BMI – these metrics are not the best indicators of health. Instead, factors like nutrition and physical activity play a much more significant role.

So the focus should be on the amazing things eating healthy foods and exercising can do for our bodies, like giving us the energy to run, jump and play.

‘You should also check in on how you and other adults your child spends time with interact and talk about body image and weight. Children copy our behaviour, so if they grow up around adults who consistently criticise their own bodies or the bodies of others, they’re likely to take on this negativity too.

‘While it’s critical for children to gain an understanding of why a balanced diet and exercise is important, for very young children the most effective approach is “less talking, more doing”. To make lasting change, lifestyle adjustments should be gentle and fun. Healthy eating should be a priority for the whole family, not just for your children.

“Realise that as the parent, you have the most control over what the family consumes, so analyse your weekly shop and wherever you can, cut down on the junk and make healthy swaps in stages.’