As you look to find any underlying reasons for your child's weight issues, consider these as well:

Is your child eating for comfort? It would, of course, surprise no one that many adoptive children have not been comforted appropriately all of their lives. Yet, we know that when a child is frightened, scared, angry, sad, lonely, rejected or any of a myriad of emotions, he needs and requires comfort. Most often, if there is a need, the child will find some way to meet it. In the absence of a loving parent, this comfort can come in many different forms including unhealthy forms of comfort. Eating for comfort is one of these ways. Watch your child to see if there is any connection that you can make between their eating habits and how they are responding to situations in their lives. Sometimes it is hard to find a direct connection, but over some time, this problem might become more evident.

Is your child eating unhealthy foods or large portions of foods, whether healthy or unhealthy? Do you ever notice your child taking more food than they can eat and then storing some away “just in case I get hungry later”? Many children who have gone without food, or worried that there wasn’t enough will often store food up, either the actual food or they may store it in their bodies by eating many portions at one time in feat that there might not be enough later. I’ve found that this type of eating behavior can exist for a very long time, even after being in a home where there is always plenty for him. The subconscious need to protect themselves in this way lies nearer to the very core of the child and not something that will go away quickly.

Evaluate your own home, family life and habits. How do they promote health – or not?

I’m certain I haven’t listed every reason that a child would be overweight, and only shown a few of those. The point is that it’s important to look at underlying reasons in order to find the best ways to help your child be as healthy as possible.

Part III will list several actual tips and ideas to implement to help your child and your family!