An estimated 30 percent of our children are considered overweight or obese!

What is obesity?
Obesity is a chronic medical condition defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. Obesity (or overfat) has a strong genetic component that is heavily influenced by environmental factors. Genetics significantly influence weight, since overfat and overweight children and adolescents with at least one parent who is overweight, have an 80 percent chance of being overweight adults. Environmental factors are the combination of social and cultural conditions that influence families and communities.

What are the risks?
Overweight/obese children are at increased risk for the development of multiple disease states including the following:

• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• coronary artery disease
• gall bladder disease
• asthma
• strokes
• certain cancers
• psychosocial disorders (e.g. depression/poor self-esteem)
  

How do we treat childhood obesity?
Treatment programs for obese children and adolescents rarely have weight loss as a goal. Rather, the aim is to slow or halt the weight gain so the child will grow into his or her body weight over a period of months or years. First, establish the need for help by getting your doctor/pediatrician to assess your child\'s body composition or Body Mass Index and determine if medical therapy is warranted.

What can I do as a parent?
Early and appropriate intervention is particularly valuable. There is considerable evidence that childhood eating and exercise habits are more easily modified than adult habits. Three forms of intervention include:

1. Physical Activity- adopting a formal exercise routine or simply increasing levels of spontaneous activity is valuable to burn fat, increase energy expenditure, and maintain lost weight.
2. Diet Management- extreme caloric restriction or fasting is not advisable for children and can be counterproductive or even dangerous. Balanced diets with moderate caloric restriction, especially reduced dietary fat, sugar and sodium have proven very successful in treating obesity. A great resource for improving dietary habits can be found on this website (SEE: SHF Meal Plan)
3. Behavior Modification- many behavioral strategies used with adults have been successfully applied to children: self monitoring of food intake and physical activity, slowing the rate of eating, and using rewards and incentives for desirable behaviors. Limiting time spent on computers and gaming systems, in front of the television, and other sedentary behaviors are important adjustments to be made; with a concomitant increase in recreational activity participation strongly encouraged.

*Remember, parents are the most important role models for children!