Calories for Overweight child

I have a 7 year old boy that weighs 80 lbs. He's overweight; I would like to know how many calories a day he should be consuming.
(November 17, 2010)

Calorie Intake For Children

Obesity is a rising concern all over the world and, given the fact that a number of countries have gone to the extent of labeling the condition as a pandemic due to the speed with which people are affected, it is heartening to see that some people are taking a keen interest in understanding the condition that, when ignored, could prove to have lethal outcomes. One of the biggest problems with obesity is the fact that the conditions that it causes will usually develop under the surface and only come into prominence once the damage has been done and any treatment plans are primarily focused on ensuring that things do not get too out of hand. Moreover, the fact that a number of people are of the opinion that the most telling effect of obesity is the impact it has on an individuals aesthetic appeal shows that there is a lot of misinformation as well as ignorance surrounding the condition. Some of the more serious medical concerns that develop as a direct result of obesity include heart failure, chronic respiratory illness, blood pressure and blood cholesterol, all of which will have lethal outcomes if ignored. There is also a substantial amount of discomfort caused as a result of the excess stress on the leg structure duet to the extra weight that the muscles have to bear – casing substantial amount o pain when it comes to even the slightest of movements.




One of the greatest fears all over the world, however, stems from the fact that a large proportion of the next generation are already obese – thereby causing them to suffer from a number of weight related problems. While some people may be able to lay the blame on factors that are more or less out of their control such as hereditary and genetics, chances are that the majority will see the primary causing conditions to be a combination of an inappropriate diet as well as a lack of adequate exercise. Given that obesity is largely on the rise amongst children all over the world, it is important for the parents to be more alert as well as accountable for the diets that they follow. Understanding and abiding by the various calorie intake for children guidelines is a great way to start while also ensuring that the child gets enough physical exercise with exposure to sport and other forms of exercise for the development of their muscles as well as burn any extra calories that may be converted into fat cells.

The primary objective in calories intake for children is to ensure that they consume a variety of foods from the four main food groups to make sure that they get their fill of starch, vitamins, minerals, fiber and calcium to lead an all round healthy life. Nutrition facts for children show that a small portion of lean meats and fish will also help provide the child’s body with a reasonable amount of protein content as well. Recent surveys highlighting the calorie intake for children show that a number of children consume a diet that has too much salt, saturated fat and sugar – causing an increase in the likelihood of obesity development in the child. Given the fact that children are in the growing phase at this point, it is important to ensure that you follow the optimum nutritional requirements for children in order to avoid any weaknesses that may crop up as a result of certain deficiencies later in their lives. For more in depth information, you could also turn to sources such as the internet as well as books in the health section of your local bookstore to take a look at the calories for infant and children charts.

The average calorie count required by an active seven year old should be about 1,000 calories. But the operative word here is active. If the child is active, then he will consume that kind of calorie count quite easily. But for an inactive child, that is a child who does not play too much, spend time outdoors, and is mostly seated, then you would need to take care as to the kind of calories that the child consumes. While it is essential that the calorific count remain high for growing children, you can easily eliminate the fat calories from the diet completely. The reason the child would need that many calories is that he is still in growing stages. Overall development of bones, muscles, brains and size is still a work in progress, and must not suffer due to reduced calorific intake.

You would need to take care that your son does not consume unnecessary fats and put on more weight, thus adding to the problem of obesity. In order to do this, you need to monitor his intake of fats. In all likelihood, you son is suffering from the problem of obesity because of a combination of inactivity and consumption of excessive fats. The first thing to do is to eliminate snacking from the child's diet. It is essential that you feed him three proper large meals and only two snacks a day. It is also important that all of these be monitored. The things to exclude from the child's diet are sugary snacks, salted and fried foods and drinks that contain sugar. Chips and soft drinks are often the culprit for such young children putting on that kind of weight. In meals, increase the quantity of vegetables your son would eat. Try to eliminate excessive bread and rice in meals, as they both have a tendency to make the child put on more weight. Make it a point that the child not be given direct sugar at all, if you can help it. Try to substitute sugar with fruits, which are high in natural simple sugar and will not really make him put on weight. Fruits are also healthier to eat since they contain vitamins and minerals. You can also make milk shakes which can be given as a snack in between meals. It is equally important for you to get your son to exercise a little. Try to get him involved in playing a game, which is usually the best solution.