• An overweight child or adolescent needs support and encouragement. Tell them that their efforts are worthwhile. If other members of the family are overweight, devise a friendly competition and help one another.
  
  
• Make the most of family mealtimes. Don't let your kids eat in front of the computer or TV. Sit down together and eat. Family mealtimes offer an excellent opportunity to create a supportive environment and for parents to act as healthy role models.
  
  
• If your child is not hungry, do not make her eat. Discourage the habit of cleaning the plate. Do not punish a child who does not want to eat.
  
  
• Don't reward your child with food.
  
  
• Avoid temptation by not having foods that are high in fat or sugar in the house.
  
  
• Discourage the couch-potato lifestyle by limiting TV watching or computer games to two hours a day. Read the TV guide together and agree on the programs that your child may like to view.
  
  
• Instead of choosing food as a reward or focus of family celebrations, choose a fun physical activity such as rollerblading or bowling.
  
  
• Older children and teenagers demand their independence, so be careful that your encouragement does not become nagging, which deprives them of their choices.
  
  
• If your child is old enough, encourage him or her to keep a food and exercise diary for a few weeks. This will help the overweight child understand the importance of controlling portion size and engaging in regular physical activity.
  
  
• Make sure that your child eats breakfast; this will set the pattern of eating for the rest of the day. A high-fiber cereal with milk or soy and fruit is ideal.
  
  
• Pack a healthy lunch for your child. Access to a healthy lunch will help your child to avoid high-fat, high-calorie foods on offer in school cafeterias.
  
  
• Ensure that pocket money is being spent wisely, not on high-calorie snacks from food courts or vending machines.
  
  
• Provide cool water to satisfy thirst, rather than soda.

According to a study from the University of Minnesota, children who are teased about their weight can be affected psychologically. The authors of the study wrote "Teasing about body weight was consistently associated with low body satisfaction, low self-esteem, high depressive symptoms and thinking about and attempting suicide, even after controlling for actual body weight." For some children, teasing occurred both at home and at school, compounding the problem.

Genuine support and encouragement are essential for overcoming or preventing psychological issues in overweight children. In some cases, professional counseling may be required.

Setting realistic goals together and communicating openly within the family can also help.