Calories

My son is 9 yrs old and he is 140 pounds and he is 4'8.

I would like to know how many calories a day should he have?

What should I feed him when changing his diet?

[Renee Radenberg]

As per your measurements, his weight is above the 95th percentile and his height is between the 90-95th percentile for his age. He is very overweight for his age. For his age, he needs approximately 2000 calories per day and recommended the following to help him with his weight: Limit high sugar drinks/snacks and try replace with low fat milk/yogurt or fruit/popcorn. Cook only low fat meats (chicken, fish, loin of pork) or non-meat sources (soy products, nuts), low fat vegetarian combinations (rice & beans, pasta & beans, low fat cheese & pasta), fat free or low fat dairy products (skim milk, 1% milk, low fat cheese, low fat yogurts, low fat soy milk/yogurt), use plant oils, non trans-fat margarines, and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Eat daily high fiber breads and cereals (oatmeal) and limit ‘junk’ foods. Suggest increasing his physical activities more (play, dance, sports) to maintain weight because he is still a child and is growing. Limit time in front of the TV/DVD/computer or non-active-video games. There have been studies showing the longer the length of time a child sit in front of the TV, the greater the weight gain. Have him help you cook simple healthy foods so he learns how to eat right. Make everything fun so he will enjoy living healthy. Please note his daily calorie needs will need to increase as he goes into puberty (11 – 18 years old) and will increase to appropriately 2500-3000 calories a day. Hoped this helped you.