Preventing Childhood Obesity
You’ve probably read about it in newspapers and seen it on the news: in the United States, the number of children with obesity has continued to rise over the past two decades. You may wonder: Why are doctors and scientists troubled by this trend? And as parents or other concerned adults, you may ask: What steps can we take to prevent obesity in our children? The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer answers to some of the questions you may have, as well as resources to help you keep your family healthy.
Key Points
Why is Childhood Obesity Considered a Health Problem?
- Children with obesity can be bullied and teased more than their normal-weight peers. They are also more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression, and low self-esteem. The effects of this can last into adulthood.
- Children with obesity are at higher risk for developing other chronic health conditions and diseases, such as asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and type 2 diabetes.
- Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being reported among children who are overweight. The onset of diabetes in children can lead to heart disease and kidney failure.
- Children with obesity also have more risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, than their normal-weight peers. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, almost 60 percent of children who were overweight had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 25 percent had two or more CVD risk factors.
- Children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults. This can lead to lifelong physical and mental health problems. Adult obesity is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancer.
What Can a Parent Do to Help Prevent Childhood Obesity?
To help your child maintain a healthy weight, balance the calories your child consumes from foods and beverages with the calories your child uses through physical activity and normal growth.
Remember that the goal for children who are overweight is to reduce the rate of weight gain while allowing normal growth and development. Children should NOT be placed on a weight reduction diet without the consultation of a health care provider.
Help Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits
One part of balancing calories is to eat foods that provide adequate nutrition and an appropriate number of calories. You can help children learn to be aware of what they eat by developing healthy eating habits, looking for ways to make favourite dishes healthier, and reducing calorie-rich temptations. There’s no great secret to healthy eating. To help your children develop healthy eating habits:
- Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products
- Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products
- Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein
- Serve reasonably-sized portions
- Encourage your family to drink lots of water
- Limit sugar-sweetened beverages
- Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat
Remember that small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success! Also look for ways to make your family’s favorite meals. With just a few changes, the recipes that you may prepare regularly can be healthier and just as satisfying.
To get more information about nutrition, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.
Remove Calorie-Rich Temptations
Although everything can be enjoyed in moderation, reducing the calorie-rich temptations of high-fat and high-sugar, and salty snacks can also help your children develop healthy eating habits. Instead, only allow your children to eat them sometimes, so that they truly will be treats! Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and low-sugar treats that are 100 calories or less:
- A medium-size apple
- A medium-size banana
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tbsp. hummus
Help Kids Stay Active
Another part of balancing calories is to engage in an appropriate amount of physical activity. In addition to being fun for children, regular physical activity has many health benefits, including strengthening bones, decreasing blood pressure, reducing stress and anxiety, and helping with weight management.
Children should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily. Remember that children imitate adults — start adding physical activity to your own daily routine and encourage your child to join you. Some examples of moderate intensity physical activity include brisk walking, playing tag, jumping rope, playing soccer, swimming, and dancing.
In addition to encouraging physical activity, help children avoid too much sedentary time. Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time your children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television viewing for children age 2 or younger. Instead, encourage your children to find fun things to do with family members or on their own that simply involve more activity.
Courtesy of www.cdc.gov
