It has been reported that one in three children and adolescents in the United States is overweight. The incidence of overweight in young people has tripled since the 1960's. Recent survey data indicate that 20.6 percent of children two to five years of age, 30.3 percent of children six to 11 years of age and 30.4 percent of adolescents and young adults 12 to 19 years of age are overweight or at risk of becoming so. Blacks and Hispanics are even more likely to have this problem.
Contributing Factors
Young people are more inactive than ever before, watching an average of 25 to 27 hours of television per week while spending only 14 minutes a day engaged in physical activity.
Dietary habits that contribute to weight problems:
- Frequent consumption of fast foods
- Large amounts of sweetened beverages
- High fat snacks
- Skipping breakfast
- Eating large portions
- Eating too few fruits and vegetables
- Irregular meal times
Most of what children eat depends on what their parents bring home from the grocery store.
Only a small percentage of childhood obesity is associated with hormonal and genetic defects.
Health Risks
Most overweight children are healthy, but are at risk of developing future weight-related health problems. A growing number do have early onset of adult diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, acid reflux disease, sleep apnea, gallstones, back pain, depression and low self-esteem.
Recommendations For Weight Reduction
- Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
- Limit television and computer to no more than two hours per day
- Do not have a television or computer in the bedroom
- Limit eating meals outside the home
- Eat breakfast regularly
- No sugar-sweetened beverages
- Family meals at least five or six times per week
- Avoid food restriction (e.g., a child should eat until satiated, no more, or less)
- Engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 60 minutes per day
Prevention Strategies
Following the above listed points will also help prevent the development of weight problems. Additionally, children do not need to finish every bottle or meal. They should not be given food for comfort or as a reward. Do not offer sweets in exchange for a finished meal. Skim milk is safe to replace whole milk at 2 years of age. Food should only be served once with no seconds before putting it away.
Most diets have shown to be ineffective in the long term. If a child has a significant and persistent weight problem, help should be sought from the family health care provider. Referral to a specialized weight loss program may be necessary. Programs are scarce and usually expensive with poor medical insurance reimbursement. If a child is admitted, a team approach is utilized including a physician, dietician, exercise physiologist, psychologist and/or social worker.
Additional Resources
Your doctor
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
