5 tips to help your kid achieve a healthy weight

5 tips to help your kid achieve a healthy weight

Obesity is a growing health concern among Canadian youth and adults. Here are five healthy ways to help your child manage their weight

By Flannery Dean

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2. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep

Poor sleeping habits can actually make kids hungry. "There’s a pretty strong link between sleep deprivation and excess weight gain in children, youth and adults," explains Warshawski. A bad night’s sleep encourages overeating, as it increases production of a hormone (grehlin) that makes us feel hungry, while decreasing production of a hormone (leptin) that makes us feel full. Children should get around nine hours of sleep a night to set them up properly for the day ahead.