Childhood Obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of childhood obesity for children ages 6-11 years old has more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17% in 2006⁽¹⁾.  The percentage of overweight children in the U.S. is growing at an alarming rate with 1 out of every 3 children now considered overweight or obese ⁽²⁾.
 
Doctors are concerned about the rise in childhood obesity rates. Overweight children are at increased risk for developing serious medical problems that were once considered exclusively adult diseases, such as heart disease (high blood pressure and high cholesterol), type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, asthma, sleep apnea, tendency to mature earlier, liver and gallbladder disease, and depression ^{(1, 2)}.
 
Healthy eating and physical activity are extremely important for your child’s wellbeing. You can help your child maintain a healthy weight by balancing the calories they consume from foods and beverages with the calories they burn through physical activity and normal growth ⁽¹⁾. Parents can encourage healthy lifestyle choices by serving more fruits and vegetables, buying less high calorie drinks and snacks, serving breakfast everyday, eating fast food less often, substituting water for high calorie drinks, planning healthy meals and eating as a family ⁽³⁾.
 
As children spend more time in front of the television and less time running and playing outdoors, exercise becomes increasingly important. Most children need at least one hour of physical activity every day. Ways to keep your child active include limiting television, video games and computer time, exercising together as a family, getting involved in competitive sports, encouraging walking or biking to school, and trying new activities like dancing, bowling, or yoga.