Obesity can also adversely affect their self-esteem. While most children should not be put on a severely restricted diet, weight management by a combined approach of a sensible diet and regular exercise will help to control their weight gain.

Children normally need a certain number of calories each day energy allowance that their bodies use as energy for normal daily activities walking, breathing, etc. As with adults, the daily caloric needs of a child depend on their sex, age, and activity level. A 13 year old will need to eat a lot more than a 6 year old, and children who are more active will generally need to eat more altogether.

Moderately active boys should consume around 1, calories per day from ages 6 to 8. By 9 to 10 years old, they need closer to 1, calories and by 11 to 13 they need about 2, By ages 14 to 17, this bumps up to 2, to 2, calories each day. Girls who are moderately active need about 1, calories per day from ages 7 to 9, 1, calories per day from ages 10 to 11, and 2, calories per day from ages 12 to These are only estimates.

Some children will need more calories or fewer calories in a day depending on their metabolism and daily activities. When someone consumes more food and calories than is required by their energy allowance, the excess calories are converted to fat for storage.

Conversely, when someone consumes fewer calories than is required by their energy allowance, their body fat is converted to energy for the needed calories.

You can think of this relationship in terms of an equation:. A child can lose weight by either eating fewer calories each day or getting more activity so that their body uses up more calories to provide the needed energy.

Either way, body fat is burned and converted to energy, which results in weight loss. Often, it's a combination of dieting eating less and exercising moving more that allows someone to achieve sustainable, healthy weight loss. The first goal of weight management in kids should be to stop weight gain and maintain normal growth in height.

This strategy allows them to "grow into" their weight. Start by helping your child eat healthier about fewer calories each day and add regular exercise and physical activity to their routine.

It will be easier for your child to lose weight if they are motivated to do so. You can help your child lose weight by making healthy choices for their meals at home and encouraging regular exercise and physical activity.

One of the best ways to keep them motivated is by getting your whole family actively involved in the process of eating healthier and exercising regularly. It is also important to modify the behaviors that led your child to become overweight.

These behaviors may prevent weight loss or encourage weight to be regained. Behaviors you'll want to modify include:. It is not necessary to count calories, but you and your child should become more educated about the foods you eat and how many calories they contain.

You should begin to routinely check the nutrition label of the foods that your family is eating. You want to try and eat foods low in calories and also low in fat. Be careful of low fat or "diet" foods, as they can still be high in calories even though they are low in fat.

Check the serving size of prepared meals and snacks. A serving of chips may only have calories, but if the serving size is only 10 chips, eating the entire bag would be over 1, calories just for a snack.

Some eating habits that will help your child lose weight include:. Page last reviewed: 3 August Next review due: 3 August Home Common health questions Children's health Back to Children's health. How many calories does a child of 7 to 10 need? The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition estimates the average daily energy requirements for children aged 7 to 10 years old are: This table splits average daily requirements for kilojoules and kilocalories, for boys and girls aged 7 to 10, into separate columns and rows.

Age Boys Girls 7 6,kJ or 1,kcal 6,kJ or 1,kcal 8 7,kJ or 1,kcal 6,kJ or 1,kcal 9 7,kJ or 1,kcal 7,kJ or 1,kcal 10 8,kJ or 2,kcal 8,kJ or 1,kcal. Some foods, such as lettuce, have few calories 1 cup of shredded lettuce has less than 10 calories.

High-calorie foods — such as sugary sodas, candy, and fast food — can quickly add up to too many calories. When you eat more calories than the body uses, the extra energy is stored as fat.

Some people watch their calories if they are trying to lose weight. Most kids don't need to count calories, but all kids benefit from eating a healthy, balanced diet. Kids should also pay attention to when they feel hungry and stop eating when they feel full.

Your body needs calories to operate — to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, and your brain thinking. As a kid, your body needs calories and nutrients from a variety of foods to grow up.

Your muscles use calories to move. Being active every day keeps your body strong and can help you have a healthy weight. Aim for 1 hour or more of physical activity every day.

You can be active playing outside, walking, riding your bike, swimming, dancing, or playing sports.

Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. Home Healthy Living Healthy Eating Eat Smart Nutrition Basics Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children.

The American Heart Association has dietary recommendations for infants, children and adolescents to promote cardiovascular health: AHA Scientific Position Start in Infancy: Breast-feeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support optimal growth and development for about the first 4—6 months after birth.

Try to maintain breast-feeding for 12 months. Transition to other sources of nutrients should begin at about 4—6 months of age to ensure sufficient micronutrients in the diet.

Juice should only be fed from a cup. Don't overfeed infants and young children — they can usually self-regulate the amount of calories they need each day. Children shouldn't be forced to finish meals if they aren't hungry as they often vary caloric intake from meal to meal.

Introduce healthy foods and keep offering them if they're initially refused. Don't introduce foods without overall nutritional value simply to provide calories. The American Heart Association recommends this eating pattern for families: Energy calories should be adequate to support growth and development and to reach or maintain desirable body weight.

Eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt sodium , and added sugars. Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients. Last Reviewed: Apr 16, Nationally Supported by. Learn more about Lipton. Show Search Search Query Search. Eat Well Lifestyles Well. By USA TODAY. Twitter Facebook Email SHARE SHARE How many calories should you eat in a day: USDA guidelines for men, women, children CLOSE.

Next Up In Well. Ask the Doctors: Elevated creatinine levels can affect kidney function. Johnson launches plans to boost local business, combat food insecurity. Ask the Doctors: Complicated grief extends the time it takes to heal from loss.

Drinking water with meals not only is OK, getting enough each day is essential. The Latest. Cubs still involved in free-agent market as spring training opens. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer tried to turn the conversation to the current roster, but the question of where Cody Bellinger will land still loomed.

By Maddie Lee [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]. Things To Do. Things to do in Chicago Feb. Chance the Rapper at the Ramova, Widespread Panic at the Chicago Theatre, and a Presidents Day celebration at the Chicago History Museum are among the highights in the week ahead.

By Mary Houlihan - For the Sun-Times [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]. William Post, inventor of Pop-Tarts, dies at By Associated Press [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]. MCA becomes latest Chicago museum to form union. An open letter signed by 32 workers cited a number of concerns from overwork because of staff shortages to fair wages and stable benefits.

By Amy Yee [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]. Edgewater residents express safety concerns, demand solutions at public forum.