The American Academy of Pediatrics reports
that today's children tend to be heavier than their
counterparts were a generation ago, and that over
30 percent of America's school-age youngsters are
now overweight.
How do I know if my
child is overweight?
If you are concerned about your child's
weight, talk with your child's doctor to determine
if - or to what extent - your child may be overweight.
Children grow at different rates at different stages
of their development.
Is there an overweight
test?
Yes. Your doctor can determine your
child's Body Mass Index (BMI) using the nationally
established Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Growth
Charts. The BMI helps pediatricians determine whether
a child is underweight, overweight or at risk to be
overweight.
The BMI takes into account your child's height, weight,
age and gender. This is especially helpful since girls
and boys differ in their body fat as they mature.
Are there increased health
risks for overweight children?
Yes. Overweight children are at increased
risk for:
• diabetes (type 2)
• asthma
• high blood pressure
• foot problems
• sleep apnea (times during sleep when you
stop breathing)
• acid reflux
In addition to those health problems,
children who grow up to be overweight adults are at
increased risk for arthritis, cancer, diabetes, stroke
and low back pain.
Overweight children may also suffer
psychological effects from teasing, cruel jokes and
prejudice. This can lead to a negative body image
and depression.
Does being overweight
run in families?
The jury is still out as to how genetics
affect the tendency to be overweight. However, what
is clear is that children often learn lifestyle habits
from their families such as:
• eating behaviors
• portion sizes
• hours of television watched
• amount of daily exercise
How do I help my child
have a healthy weight?
To have a healthy weight, you must
balance how many calories you consume with how many
calories you use. Your body uses calories as fuel.
Calories that you don't use are stored as fat.
To help your child make healthy food
choices, become educated about nutrition and portion
sizes. Read nutrition labels of foods with your child.
Together, determine which foods are healthy and which
ones have empty calories (high calories but low nutrition).
Also, looks at the label's serving sizes. One serving
is often much different than you would expect.
Make physical activity a way of life
in your home. As a family, take walks, play tennis,
swim...whatever activity your family enjoys. Encourage
your child to play active games with friends instead
of watching TV or playing video/computer games. Set
a goal for your child to enjoy at least 60 minutes
of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
Serving sizes aren't always what you
think they are. Your child may be eating more than
one serving without even knowing it.
For example, did you know that those little double-pack
snack cakes are listed on their label as two servings?
And boxes of macaroni and cheese state that the package
serves four to five people. Also, one serving of cereal
is usually three quarters cup to one cup. Try measuring
that at home to see how one serving looks in your
bowl.
Commercial Success
The food industry spends more than
13 billion dollars annually, marketing directly to
children!
What can you do?
Talk with your child
about:
• What is the advertiser
doing to help sell the product, such as: using celebrities,
showing cool animation, packaging the product in
a special way, offering a toy with the product?
• What message is the advertiser trying to
get you to believe, such as: if you eat this you'll
be more popular, be better at sports, have more
friends, be part of the "in" crowd?
• After seeing the commercial do you want
to try the product or not? Why do you feel that
way? For example, does showing a celebrity drinking
a certain brand of soft drink make a difference
to you? Why is that so?
How do I help my child
lose weight?
If you child is overweight, talk to
your pediatrician about what steps to take to help
your child achieve a healthier weight. A weight loss
plan may include increasing the amount of physical
activity your child gets and reducing the calories
she consumes.
Weight loss is complicated because
it involves family habits, plus body image issues.
One of the best ways to help your overweight child
is for you to be a positive role model in making healthy
eating choices, being physically active and having
a healthy weight.
You can also help your child by reducing
the amount of time your child spends watching TV or
playing video/computer games, and by making it a family
habit to turn the TV off for meals. American children
spend more time watching TV and playing video games
than doing anything else except sleeping. This contributes
to childhood obesity in three ways:
1. Children don't burn a lot of calories
when sitting and watching TV or playing video games
- extra calories are stored as fat.
2. Children are exposed to food advertising. Studies
show that food advertising affects children's snack
choices and consumption.
3. Children may snack more while sitting and watching
TV.
Role Model
One of the best ways to help your overweight
child is for you to be a positive role model. Make
healthy eating choices, be physically active and maintain
a healthy weight.
What about dessert?
Denying your child an occasional dessert
may backfire by increasing her desire to have it.
Usually the best approach is to practice portion control
and moderation. However, if your child is overweight,
discuss this issue with your child's doctor.
If you do give your child dessert,
talk with your child about how to compensate for the
dessert. For example, your child may skip the roll
and butter at dinner if she is having dessert.
Some families have dessert only on
a certain night of the week, such as Friday or Saturday.
You can let family members take turns choosing the
dessert of the week. Find the balance that works best
for your family.
Is it a good idea to
make my child clean her plate?
No. Research shows that this can sabotage
your child's long-term ability to learn how to listen
to her own body signals and determine when she's eaten
enough.
When serving dessert:
• Have your child sit at
a table without distractions, such as TV.
• Serve the dessert on a plate or in a bowl.
• Know what one serving is and give your child
only one serving. For example, one serving of ice
cream is one-half a cup.
• Don't leave the box of cookies, the pie, the
cake, etc., on the table where your child is eating;
instead, put it away immediately after serving.
The Food Guide Pyramid is an easy way
to show the groups of foods that make up a healthy
diet. Children and adults need to eat a variety of
foods from all five food groups.
What counts as a Pyramid
serving?
Grains Group
• 1 slice of bread
• 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta
Vegetable Group
• 1 cup or raw leafy
vegetables; 1/2 cup of other vegetables- cooked
or raw*
• 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
Fruit Group
• 1 medium apple, banana,
orange, pear
• 3/4 cup of fruit juice
Milk Group
• 1 cup of milk or yogurt
• 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese (such as
Cheddar)
• 1 ounce of cooked lean
meat, poultry, or fish
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons or peanut butter
*Dry beans, peas and lentils can be
counted as servings in either the Meat and Beans
group or the Vegetable group, As a vegetable, 1/2
cup of cooked, dry beans counts as one serving.
As a meat substitute, 1/2 cup of dry, cooked beans
counts as one ounce of meat.
How many Pyramid servings
are ideal?
Find the number of servings and the
daily calories that are right for you. These are the
national guidelines. If your child is very active
or less active, her calorie needs may be different
from the guideline.
AGE
Daily Calories
Children 2 to 6, Most Women
and Some Older Adults
1600 Calories
Older Children, Teen Girls,
Active Women, and Most Men
2200 Calories
Teen Boys and Active Men
2800 Calories
**Milk Group
Older children and teens 9 to 18 and adults over
50 need three servings from the Milk group. Others
need two servings daily.
What's a pound?
It takes about 3500 extra
calories to gain one pound. And you have to use 3500
calories to lose one pound. Sounds like a lot until
you break it down.
If your child cuts 150 calories a day...the calories
in one 12-oz can of soda...she'll lose one pound in
about 3 weeks. If she increases her physical activity,
she'll lose it even quicker.
For more information contact
your local health department or physician.
* This information is not a substitute
for professional medical care. Diagnosis and treatment
should be done only by your health care provider.
For more information contact your local health department
or physician.
