Childhood Obesity
o Only 5% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 were considered overweight in a 1971-1974 survey, while 13.9% of children at this age were overweight in a more recent 2003-2004 survey.
o Only 4% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were considered overweight in a 1971-1974 survey, while 18.8% of children at this age were overweight in a more recent 2003-2004 survey.
o Only 6.1% of children between the ages of 12 and 19 were considered overweight in a 1971-1974 survey, while 17.4% of children at this age were overweight in a more recent 2003-2004 survey.
o Fortunately, childhood obesity rates have been holding steady since 2003, with no increases in the rate of obesity.
3,500 calories is equal to one pound of fat. For example, if your child eats an extra 3,500 calories each month, he/she will gain an extra pound; or the child may burn an extra 3,500 calories and lose a pound.
Participating in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity on most days can help your child maintain a healthy weight.
More than one or two hours of screen time (TV, computers, video games) each day is a risk factor for childhood obesity.
Overweight teenagers have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults, and fewer than one-third of adults are at a healthy weight.
If your child is overweight, you should likely work with your pediatrician and/or a registered dietitian to help him/her lose weight.
According to the latest childhood obesity statistics from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, "…an estimated 16 percent of children and adolescents ages 6 –19 years are overweight." Even more are at risk of becoming overweight.
The above is why so many health experts talk about the “childhood obesity epidemic.”
Childhood Obesity Risk Factors
It can be helpful to look at the risk factors for obesity, especially poor eating habits and inactivity, to understand who or what is to blame for the rise in childhood obesity:
Nutrition - Many overweight children are eating oversized portions and too many of the wrong foods, including:
o High-fat foods
o High calorie foods
o Junk food
o Juice and soda
Physical Activity - A lack of physical activity is another big risk factor for childhood obesity.
Genetics - A family history of obesity is a risk factor one cannot change.
Sleep - You might think that sleeping too much would increase your child's risk of childhood obesity, but surprisingly, many studies show that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of childhood obesity.
Preventing Childhood Obesity
Although you cannot change genetics, you can work to change all of the other risk factors for childhood obesity. Important factors in reaching and/or maintaining a healthy weight:
o Balanced nutrition
o Healthy foods
o Reading food labels
o Healthy snacks
o Low fat foods
o Soda and drink guidelines
o Healthy family grocery lists
o Low-fat milk
o Active free play
o Youth sports
o Limiting TV and all screen time
o Adequate sleep
Is your child overweight? Do you know if your child is overweight? Surprisingly, many parents of overweight children don't actually know their children are overweight.
You can find out by asking your pediatrician to calculate your child's body mass index or BMI - a formula that can help determine if your child is overweight, underweight, or at a healthy weight.
Calculating a child's BMI is also important for those children who are at a healthy weight but “think” they are overweight and may have an eating disorder.
Weight Loss
If your child is overweight, you should likely work with your pediatrician and/or a registered dietitian to help him/her lose weight, especially since overweight teenagers have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults.
Having specific weight loss goals, becoming educated on how to eat more healthfully, and seeking recommendations on how much more activity your child needs will be helpful or even necessary for success.
With these weight loss goals in mind, you can now try to help your child reach those goals by:
o Encouraging moderate physical activity for at least 60 minutes on most days
o Decreasing the amount of screen time to less than two hours a day, which includes time spent on the computer, watching TV, and playing video games
o Figuring out how many calories your child needs with the understanding that there are about 3,500 calories in a pound of fat
o Keeping a drink diary to help reduce how many calories your child is getting from sugary drinks
o Learning to choose healthy foods for your child to eat, including fruits and vegetables, and teaching him/her to make healthy choices when eating away from home
o Making sure your child is eating healthy snacks, so that snack time does not turn into an extra meal
o Encouraging your child to get a good night’s sleep, keeping in mind that teens need about 9 hours of sleep, that children between the ages of 6 and 12 need about 10 to 11 hours of sleep, and that preschoolers and toddlers need even more
o Moving up your weight loss goals after a few months if your child still needs to lose weight and has been successful with his/her initial goals - For example, some overweight teens will need to lose about two pounds every month, while others may need to aim for 1 or 2 pounds each week to get to a healthy weight.
Most importantly, encourage healthy eating and a healthy weight instead of pushing "dieting" on your child.
Risks of Childhood Obesity
With the increase in childhood obesity comes an increase in a number of diseases and conditions associated with obesity. Some of the health effects of childhood obesity include:
o Insulin resistance
o Type 2 diabetes mellitus
o Hypertension
o Obstructive sleep apnea
o Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty liver)
o Poor self-esteem
o Adult obesity
