Give Me the FACTS!

In the past 30 years, childhood obesity has tripled in young adults, and doubled in children4, 5 More than 1/3 of kids are overweight or obese4 The cost to treat the symptoms and effects of childhood obesity is estimated at $254 billion today3 If your child is obese right now, they are more likely to become obese as an adult1, 2, 3 Pediatric obesity leads to future health problems like stroke, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancers2, 3

Overweight vs. Obesity: Overweight: having more body fat than is optimally healthy Obesity: a condition of excess body fat that negatively affects an individuals health

What Causes Pediatric Obesity?

Not enough physical
activity (for example: running or playing outside) Too much TV or video games without exercise (physical inactivity) Family lifestyle Bad eating habits Genetics that runs in your family Not enough sleep Stress

Childhood Obesity
A Growing Problem

A Parents Guide to Pediatric Obesity

What is it? What causes it? How can we prevent it?

What can I do to help my child?

What the television and news says about childhood obesity can be scary and overwhelming at times. The best way to help your child is to help them learn to live a healthier lifestyle in order to pave their way into a healthier future.
Lead by example! Go outside and play with them. Think of new and exciting ideas to get them running around for at least 30 minutes per day! Let your little chef help you cook a yummy dinner full of leafy vegetables, bright fruit, and lean meat (like chicken)! Give rewards (like a gold star) when your child makes a healthy decision, and then add it to their Board of Good Choices on the fridge to help promote picking up that apple instead the cookie for a snack!

Talk to your childs doctor!

Questions?
Visit these helpful websites that can help to answer your thoughts/concerns: www.mayoclinic.com www.children.webmd.com www.heart.org www.nlm.nih.org

Setting up a time to meet with your pediatrician can help you devise a plan to kick start your childs transition into a healthier lifestyle. Doctors can take measurements such as: Height Weight BMI (Body Mass Index) Vital Signs (Heart Rate, Blood Pressure) and other helpful information so that you can track your childs progress.

References

1.Biro FM, Wien M. Childhood obesity and adult morbidities. Am J Clin Nutr. May 2010;91(5):1499S1505S. 2.Whitaker RC, Wright JA, Pepe MS, Seidel KD, Dietz WH. Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. N Engl J Med 1997;37(13):869873. 3.Serdula MK, Ivery D, Coates RJ, Freedman DS. Williamson DF. Byers T. Do obese children become obese adults? A review of the literature. Prev Med 1993;22:167177. 4.Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999-2010. Journal of the American Medical Association 2012;307(5):483-490. 5.National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2011: With Special Features on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Hyattsville, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2012.