There has been so much in the news and on television about how many people are obese in the United States and around the world. What’s even more alarming than the adult rate of obesity is the number of overweight teenagers. Here are some ideas of how to deal with overweight teenagers and how to get them moving.

If you have an overweight teenager, you might want to consider your entire family. Is there a pattern of being overweight among your parents or your partner’s parents? What about grandparents? Were they overweight? Part of the reason for your teen being overweight may be hereditary, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do something about it.

You may find that the reason your teen is overweight is more because of poor food choices. They may overeat or choose the wrong foods. Consider changing the way your entire family eats if that will help your overweight teenager lose weight.

Of course, one of the best ways anyone who is overweight can lose weight is by increasing their activity level. Help them realize that exercise can and should be fun. If they don’t enjoy the activity, it’s unlikely they’ll want to continue participating.

Think outside of the box when it comes to finding ways to get them moving. One activity you may want to consider is geocaching. What is that, you ask? There are millions of people all over the country that hide a “treasure” in an out-of-the-way location. It can be in a forest preserve, hills near someone’s home, or in public parks.

The person hiding the cache uses a hand-held Global Positioning Satellite unit to mark the location. Then they post the location on a website or message board for members. Any member can search for the item, which might require hiking or backpacking to reach it. When they find the cache, they take an item out and leave one of their own which leaves the “treasure” for someone else to find. Some people involved in geocaching have reported losing twenty or more pounds in the process of having great fun.

Does your child enjoy martial arts movies or television shows? Maybe they would be interested in taking a class to learn more about this activity. Not only will they be active, they’ll also learn discipline and a respect for those in authority over them. Don’t be surprised if their self-esteem increases, as well.

The old saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” This can go for computer games as well. There are gaming systems that encourage your teen to move. Dance Dance Revolution, Yourself!Fitness, and Wii Fit are three such games. The beauty of these types of games is that your teen is having fun and could possibly lose a good deal of weight in the process.

With the increased number of teens becoming overweight, it’s important to learn how to get them moving. Remember to ask them about their interests, make exercising fun, and join in the fun with them. Hopefully, after using some of these ideas you’ll notice the weight melting off and your teen feeling better about themself.