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

Kids look to adults to set an example, and it’s more important than ever to be a positive role model. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 20 years, and the problem continues to grow. Fortunately, there are changes the entire family can make to help children stay healthy and fit.

DO: Add in more time for physical activity. Limit the amount of time your children are allowed to spend in front of the TV and computer and increase the time they spend moving around. This could include playing sports, dancing or going on walks. Also, encourage them to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and protein and drink plenty of water. Try making these changes a family affair -- children take cues from the adults around them, so hop on a bike and grab your kids!

DON’T: Drink your calories. For example, an average 12 ounce can of soda is around 165 calories. If you drink three in a day, you’ve added an extra 495 calories to your diet! If your average 8-year-old is on a 1,600 calorie-a-day diet, they’ve already consumed nearly 30 percent of their daily allotment in just soda alone. Set the example by avoiding these high-calorie drinks yourself -- no matter how much you crave them.

Labels: advice, examples, parents

The best thing you can do for your kids is to be a good role model and eat the way you want your child to eat. Choose a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups, eat in moderation and make exercise part of your regular routine.

Labels: attitudes, body_image, parents

Labels: anxiety, food-labels, parents

"The 15-minute film shows ways in which children, their families and schools have worked together to promote healthy weight and wellbeing. Healthy schools coordinator Clare Laker said: 'It highlights that being overweight or obese causes many problems for children.'"

Labels: parents, schools, UK

"Now, animal studies suggest the environment the fetus is growing in influences the genes. 'The whole idea is, as that child comes out of the birth canal, you've already imprinted that child's vulnerability to be overweight,' [Dr. Robert] Kushner said."

Labels: nutrition, parents, pregnancy

Labels: genetics, parents, role_models

Childhood obesity is the top health concern for kids in 2008, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Childhood obesity outranked both smoking and drug abuse to claim the top spot. Approximately 35 percent of adults surveyed indicated childhood obesity as their top overall health concern for children. In 2007, childhood obesity ranked third.

However, many parents do not accurately perceive weight problems in their children, according to a recent study by the American College of Gastroenterology. The study gathered information from 46 parents of children ages 5-9 with a body mass index (BMI) in the 70th percentile or higher. The children were measured for height and weight during a regular pediatric visit and then parents were mailed a series of questionnaires. Parents were asked to answer questions about their perception of their child's current weight as well as whether they thought their child might be at risk for obesity in adulthood.

Although all of the children involved in the study had high BMIs, less than 13 percent of the parents surveyed perceived their children to be overweight, and less than one in three parents thought their children had above-average or very high risk for adult obesity.

Parents who may be questioning whether their child is overweight have access to a variety of online resources, including BMI calculators and a wealth of helpful articles. Weight loss camps, or "fat camps," can be immensely beneficial in teaching young people healthy habits and nutritional information. In addition, it is recommended that parents seek the professional opinion of a physician when considering weight loss measures for children.

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"Just over half of the children had junk food, including fried potato products, cakes, sweet biscuits and soft drinks, more than twice a day. About 40 percent of children were eating only one daily serving of vegetables, compared to the recommended four servings."

Labels: junk_food, parents, toddlers

"Make sure you have a bowl of bananas, apples, plums and whatever other fruits you can find sitting on the table or counter in your kitchen. Do the same with vegetables. Cut them in sticks and make a great low-fat dip for them to dunk their vegetables into."

Labels: habits, parents, role_models

"'We know that parents have tremendous influence over how many fruits and vegetables their children eat,' says Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., a professor at George Warren Brown School of Social Work. 'When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children...'"

Labels: eating-habits, influences, parents

"On face, most of the advice is common sense: eat right and exercise. But for many families, the changes constitute nothing less than lifestyle upheaval... For a parent, the most difficult step is making habits that stick... 'We don't advocate changing everything overnight,' said Rao..."

Labels: habits, healthy_living, parents

"University of Minnesota researchers who study adolescent health found that parents who correctly perceived their kids as overweight tended to use only one strategy - advising them to diet. But five years later, those kids were far more likely to still be too heavy than were overweight kids whose parents had no idea they were fat and did nothing."

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"If you have concerns about your child's weight, talk with their doctor. Physicians typically don't want to put a young child on a calorie-restrictive diet, especially when a few modifications in the child's habits may make the difference."

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"Every piece of equipment in the gym is pint-sized to meet the needs of its pint-sized clients. Gym owner Debra Zarella got the idea after her own gym fell short for her seven-year-old daughter."

Labels: exercise, parents, role_models

"Unfortunately, some parents over-think what to do about their child's eating habits, which give way to practices like forcing kids to clean their plates. And some parents don't think about nutrition at all, letting their kids eat a lot of junk food and drink a lot of juice. So, it's important to find a balance."

Labels: healthy_living, lifestyle, parents

"At home, parents are a child's best role models. If you stay active and eat a balanced diet, your children are more likely to follow your lead. Here are some tips on how to influence your child's lifestyle: Keep healthier foods in the house, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy foods, so they begin to consider it 'the norm'."

Labels: influences, parents, role_models

"Offer only healthy options. Parents can ask the child to choose between an apple or popcorn for a snack, not an apple or a cookie, or ask the child to choose between outside play or going to the park rather than to choose between outside play or television. When children can choose, they are less likely to view the alternative they select as unattractive."

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"Previous childhood obesity programs at her NIH agency, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, didn't include parents as mush, so the message didn't stick as well, said Karen Donato, We Can! program manager."

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"Because 2- to 5-year-olds are rarely responsible for their own diet and exercise choices, this statistic suggests that parents are incorporating their own unhealthy habits into their children's routines, thereby creating a chain of obesity that has proven difficult to break."

Labels: influences, parents, pre-school

"[Kalafa] was inspired by a state agricultural official who once said that it would take 2 million angry moms to change school food in the U.S. The women are fighting to remove foods such as chicken nuggets, French fries, cookies, candy, chips, doughnuts, snack cakes and sugary drinks from school vending machines and cafeterias."

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"Around 54% of the children who reported that both of their parents played sport met the 5x60 target [60 minutes of physical activity, 5 days a week] compared with just 39% of children who recorded that neither of their parents played sport."

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"Parents and caregivers are the primary influencers for this age group. We Can! offers parents and families tips and fun activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity and reduce sedentary or screen time."

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"Registered dietician, Jessica Black, said, 'We're not focusing necessarily on parents of overweight children. That's a special concern, but really we're focusing on the majority of parents who may currently be at a healthy weight who would want their children to be healthy throughout their lifespan.'"

Labels: nutrition, parents, pro-active