PREVENTING OBESITY IN

CHILDREN

Presentation prepared by Family First

Pediatrician

According to the American Heart

Association, the number one health

concern of parents in the United

States is childhood obesity, which tops

both drug abuse and smoking.

At such a young age, it’s important for

parents to understand what obesity is

and how to prevent it amongst their

children.

Obesity is defined by having

excess body fat that is beyond

the normal range for a person’s

height, age, and body

composition.

Important factors in determining

whether or not a person is overweight

or obese is the body mass index (BMI)

values found on the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) growth chart.

However, obesity amongst children

has more

than doubled and quadrupled amongst

teens in the past 30 years, according

to the Journal of the American Medical

Association.

What Causes Obesity?

Different factors can play a role in the

development of obesity, such as poor eating

habits, not enough exercise, psychological

and environmental changes, and genetics.

However, obesity can simply be caused by

consuming more calories than the body

burns off.

Not only can this create poor self-esteem

and depression, but also contribute to:

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Pre-diabetes (high blood glucose levels

present a risk for developing diabetes in

later years)

Respiratory/breathing issues

Sleep problems

How Can Childhood Obesity

Be Prevented?

First, it’s important to find a good pediatrician or

family care doctor to stay on track with annual

physicals and check-ups.

Before trying any diet or exercise program for your

child, it is important to first consult with a medical

professional to make sure any plan made is

healthy and well-suited for your child’s current

condition.

Try working together as a family in order to:

Make eating healthy fun! — Try taking some of

your child’s favorite meals and turn them nutritious

with extra vegetables.

Become an active family together. —Find an

activity the entire family enjoys, such as soccer,

running around with the family dog, or Frisbee.

Choose healthy rewards. — Instead of treating

your son or daughter to a McFlurry at McDonald’s for

their great report card, try rewarding them in a better

way. Instead, opt for low-fat frozen yogurt

Have family meals at the table. — Don’t let your

dinner table collect dust. Instead of eating dinner in

front of the television, sit down together as a

family. Talking about each other’s days can help

slow down how fast you and your family eat, aiding

in better digestion.

Always be encouraging. — With your new routine,

your child will have his or her good and bad

days. Try not to focus on the mistakes, but

encourage their good behavior and help get them

back on track.

To get started on a new way of life, call

us today at (407) 335-4760 to schedule

an evaluation and create a healthy

weight-management plan for your child.

http://familyfirstpeds.com/