Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Color Codes Help Parents Understand Kids' BMI Scores

Parents are more likely to understand their doctor's advice about their children's weights when the doctors use color-coded charts, according to a study from the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Eliana Perrin tested 163 parents as to their understanding of body mass index. If their doctors use color-coded BMI charts, parents were more likely to understand their children's weight problems. In these charts, for example, green indicated a healthy BMI, yellow was risky, and red was unhealthy.

"The study shows the importance of simplified communication," Dr. Perrin said in a Sept. 16 article on the medical news website ScienceDaily. "It's important that all parents understand what their doctors are telling them. They don't want a complicated chart."

Labels: parenting, bmi

Posted By: Aspen/CRC