Physical activity –What if my child is overweight? Advice for parents and carers

If you think your child is overweight, this booklet is for you.

This booklet does not replace the advice that health professionals involved in the care of your child may give, as they know more about your child’s condition.

ContentsAbout this booklet 5Is it safe for my child to do physical activity? 6How much physical activity should my child do? 8 What are the benefits of regular physical activity for my child? 10What can I do to help? 12Are some types of physical activity better than others for people who are overweight? 18Are there any types of physical activity that my child should avoid? 24What about taking part in PE, sports and physical activity at school? 27 What else can I do to encourage my child to be active? 29For more information 34

About this bookletIf you think your child is overweight, this booklet is for you.

The booklet:

❤ explains why it is good for your child to be physically active

❤ provides information to help you make it easy and enjoyable for your child to be active safely

❤ aims to make sure your child is not put off being active

❤ looks at the worries that you or your child may have about physical activity and how they can be overcome.

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Is it safe for my child to do physical activity?Yes. There are very few children and young people who will be advised not to do any physical activity. Many parents or carers of children and young people who are overweight often worry about their child feeling uncomfortable, or being bullied by other children or young people, when taking part in physical activity. But as long as your child is not at risk of injury or harm, there is no reason why they can’t take part in any physical activity they enjoy.

Every child is different and most children and young people who are overweight will know what they can and can’t do. If your child is severely overweight, you might want to get advice from their healthcare professionals before encouraging them to become more active. Your child’s healthcare professionals should also be able to advise you if there are any particular activities your child should avoid.

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How much physical activity should my child do?

To improve health, experts recommend that all children and young people aged 5-17 years should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day. This applies to all children and young people, including those who are overweight.

Moderate-intensity activity is activity that may raise your child’s pulse, and make them breathe slightly faster and feel a little warmer – for example, brisk walking, steady cycling or active play.

Vigorous-intensity activity is activity that will make your child ‘huff and puff’ and make them feel sweaty – for example, organised games such as football and netball as well as activities such as running, fast cycling, swimming laps and climbing over obstacles.

See page 18 for information on which of the activities mentioned above are most suitable for your child.

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The 60 minutes activity doesn’t have to be done all at once. It can be spread across the whole day by doing several shorter amounts of activity – for example, two short bouts of 15 minutes activity running round in the playground combined with a longer bout of programmed activity such as PE or supervised recreational activity.

The talk test

A simple way to find out if your child is doing the appropriate level of activity is to use the ‘talk test’. Your child should aim to feel warm and a bit ‘puffed’ but should still be able to talk in full sentences during a physical activity session. If your child is too breathless to talk, they are probably working too hard and need to slow down or stop to rest. They can usually re-start the activity when their breathing is more controlled. If they have enough breath to be able to sing, they are not exercising hard enough to gain the benefits of physical activity.

If your child is currently inactive, they should gradually increase the amount of physical activity they do, and should aim to eventually achieve the 60 minutes a day target. If your child is currently not doing any physical activity, doing some activity – even if it’s below the recommended level – will bring more benefits than doing no physical activity at all. Any physical activity is better than none, and generally the more the better.

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What are the benefits of regular physical activity for my child?

There is lots of evidence that children and young people benefit from being physically active. This applies to all children and young people, including those who are overweight. Regular physical activity can:

❤ promote healthy growth and development

❤ help keep the heart and lungs healthy

❤ help develop strong muscles and bones

❤ improve balance and flexibility

❤ make them feel good, improve their mood and help them cope with the stresses of everyday life

❤ improve self-esteem and body image

❤ provide opportunities to make friends

❤ build confidence and help develop social skills.

These benefits alone justify children’s and young people’s participation in physical activity, regardless of any effect it has on excess weight.

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Regular physical activity is particularly important if your child is overweight, as it can help them achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Physical activity:

❤ increases the amount of energy (calories) your child uses

❤ increases your child’s lean (not fat) body mass. Lean body mass burns more calories than fat.

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What can I do to help?The pre-school and school years are a key time for shaping your child’s attitudes and behaviours, which can have a lifelong impact on your child’s ability to maintain a healthy weight.

We can all play a vital role in supporting and encouraging children and young people to be more active.

Be positive about physical activity.

Don’t let your child’s weight be an obstacle to them being physically active. Regular daily physical activity, combined with a healthy diet, is the best way for your child to lose weight and to keep that weight off.

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Try a range of different activities.

There are lots of different ways to be active and most children and young people will be keen to try out new activities.

❤ Encourage your child to try a range of different physical activities to find out which ones they enjoy and which ones they can cope with better.

❤ Trying out different activities will help your child understand how their body responds to physical activity, and can help them develop their basic movement skills, such as agility, balance and coordination.

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Try to be more active as a family.

Children and young people who have physically active parents are more likely to be active themselves.

❤ Be a good role model for your child. For example, simply walking more often can help your child see that you value physical activity.

❤ Make time to be active and have fun as a family. For example, go for a walk, play frisbee, have a kick-about in the garden or local park, or perhaps go swimming together.

❤ Providing opportunities for your child to be active with you may help build their confidence about being physically active with friends.

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Teach your child to warm up and cool down.

❤ Your child should always warm up before physical activity and cool down afterwards. Warming up means beginning physical activity slowly and building up gradually. Cooling down means taking time to slow down and not stopping physical activity suddenly.

A warm-up and cool-down are an important part of preparing for physical activity and can reduce the likelihood of your child injuring themselves during physical activity.

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Are some types of physical activity better than others for people who are overweight?

There is no reason why your child can’t take part in any physical activity they want to. Your child is more likely to want to be active if they enjoy what they are doing.

Aerobic or continuous activities are the ones which are best for looking after your child’s heart and helping them achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Examples include active play or games, brisk walking, swimming, cycling and dancing.

Interval-type activities – that is, activities which involve short bouts of physical activity followed by brief spells of physical activity at a slower pace – are generally considered more suitable for children and young people who are overweight. Interval-type activities can be used to slowly improve your child’s stamina without causing them discomfort.

At first your child may need longer rest periods, but these can be made shorter as their stamina improves.

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Activities with rest periods should still involve some movement, but at a slower pace. This is known as ‘active rest’. Complete rest in between bursts of activity is not recommended.

Your child may find high-impact or continuous aerobic activities – such as running, skipping or play that involves jumping – more difficult than children or young people of a normal weight range for their age, because they are carrying more body mass.

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Swimming

Recreational swimming is an excellent activity for improving heart health. It involves all the major muscles, it’s suitable for all age groups, and your child can swim at their own pace. Swimming may be particularly good if your child is very overweight, as their body weight is supported so it reduces the stress on the bones and joints. However, some children and young people who are overweight may feel self-conscious about undressing in front of others or wearing swimming costumes. If your child is self-conscious, ask the swimming pool manager, PE teacher or physical activity coach if they will allow your child to wear a T-shirt or shorts in the pool.

Team games

Team games such as football, hockey, netball or volleyball can be ideal activities for your child, because they tend to involve playing in brief bursts of activity with short breaks in between.

It is OK and ‘normal’ for your child to feel warm, breathe harder, look ‘flushed’ and feel his or her heart beat faster during physical activity.

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Dancing

Dancing is a good form of aerobic activity that can be done in brief bursts of activity. Also, the pace can be set by the beat of the music which can be a good motivator, especially among overweight children and young people. There are many different kinds of dance. Try to find a type of dance that your child finds achievable and fun, such as salsa, street dance, hip-hop, line-dancing, modern jive or bollywood.

Racquet and net games

Racquet and net games such as badminton or table tennis are often suitable for children and young people who are overweight, as they can be done at a lower intensity if necessary. Tennis and squash usually involve more constant activity and are faster paced. Your child may find it difficult to complete a full game of tennis or squash, but may find an adapted game with a smaller playing area easier.

Adventure and outdoor activities

Adventure and outdoor activities such as water sports, hiking, orienteering, paintballing, cycling or mountain biking can be good fun and offer variety. Many of these activities are suitable for children and young people who are overweight, as they can be done at a low impact and low intensity and can be adapted to suit varying abilities.

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Active play

There are lots of activities that your child probably already does and which count as physical activity without them even realising it. Active play is one of the best ways for children and young people to be physically active. It encourages them to be creative and it develops their physical skills, balance and posture. Active play can include games like tag and hide and seek, or activities such as skipping, hop scotch or climbing. Active play can be a good activity for children and young people who are overweight, as it often involves short bursts of physical activity, followed by short spells of physical activity at a slower pace.

Lifestyle activities

Encourage your child to make physical activity part of their everyday life. There are lots of ways your child can be physically active as part of their daily routine and many of them are great ways to be active together. For example, walking or cycling to school, shops or the park instead of riding in the car, using the stairs instead of the lift in shopping centres or shops, doing jobs in and around the home, such as tidying up after themselves, making their own bed, washing the car, cleaning the windows, gardening or walking the dog.

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Are there any types of physical activity that my child should avoid?

If your child is severely overweight, you may need to think about the type of physical activity that your child can do, as certain types of physical activity may be better suited to your child than others. Your child is likely to know which activities they can do and will be the best judge of any activities to avoid.

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Some children and young people who are overweight might prefer to avoid high-impact and ‘explosive’ activities (that is, those that involve lots of jumping, running or sprinting), as these put a lot of strain on the bones and joints and can cause injuries. Your child will know whether these activities are comfortable and enjoyable for them.

Sometimes severely overweight children and young people struggle with activities that require them to carry or lift their own body weight – for example, rock climbing or gymnastics – or games where they need to squeeze through or jump over equipment, such as an assault course. Look for alternative ways to involve your child in activities that can help develop their strength and coordination.

Sometimes children and young people who are very overweight have problems with knock knees and this can be made worse by activities such as in-line roller-skating or ice skating. Your child may choose to avoid these activities if they cause them difficulty.

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What about taking part in PE, sports and physical activity at school?

Taking part in Physical Education (PE) and other physical activities at school is important for your child, both for their long-term health and well-being and to make sure they are fully involved in school life.

How you can help

❤ Teach your child the importance of taking part in PE and physical activity at school and in after-school clubs.

❤ Encourage them to take part at their own pace and within their own limitations.

❤ Discuss any concerns you have about your child’s involvement in PE with the teacher or school nurse.

❤ Let your child’s teachers or physical activity leaders (for example, after-school club leaders or coaches) know about the level and type of activity your child can do and any restrictions they need to consider.

Most children who are overweight will know what they can and can’t do.

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What else can I do to encourage my child to be active?

❤ Teach your child to slowly build up the amount of physical activity they do.

❤ Encourage your child to be physically active throughout the day, aiming for at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

❤ Choose physical activity carefully. Try to match activities to your child’s likes, needs and abilities, so they don’t become disheartened over difficulties and discomforts.

❤ Encourage your child to do aerobic activities such as walking, swimming, cycling or dancing, as these will use more energy and help them manage their weight.

❤ Remember that your child does not have to be ‘sporty’ or join a team or a gym in order to take part in physical activity. Walking or dancing to their favourite music, for example, are excellent forms of physical activity and cost nothing.

❤ Find different ways of keeping your child active, and encourage them to take part in activities they enjoy.

❤ Encourage your child to try out new activities with their friends.

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❤ Try to limit the amount of time your child spends on sitting-down activities – such as watching TV or DVDs, or playing computer games – to no more than two hours a day.

❤ Set a good example and try to be more active as a family. Where possible, allow your child to walk or cycle to the shops and school.

❤ Praise and reward your child for being active. Be positive about their achievements, big or small, and reward them for persistence and taking part.

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Remember:

It’s important to encourage your child to take part in physical activities that are appropriate for them. Activities should be enjoyable and offer variety.

Some physical activity is better than nothing at all! And generally the more the better.

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For more informationEncouraging your child to be more active

Publications

Get Kids on the GoBHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health This booklet includes tips and tools for encouraging children to be active. Pocket Play Pack BHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health A small z-card with lots of activity ideas for children. For free copies of these resources: ❤ call the BHF Orderline on 0870 600 6566❤ email orderline@bhf.org.uk or❤ visit bhf.org.uk/publications

Active Places www.activeplaces.com A website that allows you to search for sports facilities anywhere in England.

BHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC) bhfactive.org.ukFunded by the British Heart Foundation, the BHFNC develops resources to support professionals in promoting physical activity. The BHFNC has also produced a number of resources on physical activity for parents and carers and for children and young people.

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Healthy eating www.yoobot.co.ukA website for young people on healthy eating, produced by the British Heart Foundation.

Heart health

British Heart Foundationbhf.org.ukFor over-11s: yheart.net For under-11s: bhf.org.uk/cbhf

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the nation’s heart charity, saving lives through pioneering research, patient care and vital information.

AcknowledgementsEdited by Wordworks.

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July 2011

Published by the BHF National Centre forPhysical Activity and Health.

Written by the BHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health and Loughborough College.

Designed by the British Heart Foundation.

© BHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health, 2011

BHF National Centre for Physical Activity and Health School of Sport, Exercise and Health SciencesLoughborough UniversityEpinal WayLoughborough LE11 3TUPhone: 01509 226419 Website: bhfactive.org.uk