Childhood obesity
Childhood obesity


Weight problems and children

Alternative Names:
Children and weight problems

Information:

A person is generally considered obese if he or she weighs 25% more than his or her ideal body weight. Factors such as unhealthy eating habits, too little physical activity, and family lifestyle all play an important role in obesity.

Heredity also plays a big role -- a child of obese parents has an 80% risk of being obese, while the child of parents who are not obese has only a 10% likelihood of being obese.

Avoid nagging your child about his or her eating habits. Instead, try to alter the eating habits of your entire family toward a low-fat regimen.




Review Date: 4/22/2003
Reviewed By: Elizabeth Hait, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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