Help Your Child Stay at a Healthy Weight

The Basics Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity. Help your child – and your whole family – eat healthy and stay physically active. The healthy habits your child learns now can last a lifetime.What can I do to help my child stay at a healthy weight? Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity. Two of the best ways to prevent overweight and obesity in your child are to eat healthier foods and to get more active as a family.Parents are often the most important role models for children. When you eat right and are physically active, your child will be more likely to make these choices, too. Plus, getting active and eating healthy as a family will help you spend more quality time together.Why do I need to worry about my child’s weight? Americans are getting heavier. Today, most adults are overweight or obese. Children are becoming heavier, too.Overweight and obesity in children can lead to serious problems, like:<ul><li>Heart disease</li><li>Type 2 diabetes</li><li>Asthma</li><li>Sleep problems</li><li>Low self-esteem</li><li>Getting bullied</li></ul>Being overweight as a child increases the risk of being overweight or obese as an adolescent and young adult. In other words, many kids don’t “grow out of” being overweight.<a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/health-problems-and-childhood-obesity" >Learn more about health problems and childhood obesity</a>.Is my child at a healthy weight? Children grow at different rates, so it’s not always easy to tell if your child is at a healthy weight. Overweight is defined differently for children and teens than it is for adults.Ask your child’s doctor or nurse whether your child is at a healthy weight.What if my child is overweight or obese? Successful weight management programs for kids include counseling and education about eating a healthy diet and getting physically active. Parents have an important role to play in these programs, too.Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse for more information.

Take Action! Put at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity into your child’s day. Help your child make healthy choices.Ask the doctor to screen your child for obesity. Your child’s doctor or nurse can tell you if your child is at a healthy weight. If your child is overweight or obese, ask the doctor or nurse to help you find a weight-loss program for your child.Look for a weight-loss program that includes counseling to help kids:<ul ><li>Make healthy choices about food</li><li>Get more physical activity</li></ul>What about cost? Obesity screening and counseling are covered under the <a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/rights/preventive-care/index.html" >Affordable Care Act</a>, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, your child may be able to get these services at no cost to you.Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. <a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html" >For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov</a>.Put at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity into your child’s day. It doesn’t have to be 60 minutes all at once – it can be shorter activities that add up to 1 hour a day. Fun activities that children do on their own are best. For example, playing tag is a great way to get moving.Be sure your child is doing different types of activity, including:<ul ><li>Aerobic activities, like running, skipping, or dancing</li><li>Muscle-strengthening activities, like climbing playground equipment or trees</li><li>Bone-strengthening activities, like jumping rope or playing basketball</li></ul><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html" > Find out how much physical activity your child needs</a>.Make getting active a family project.<ul ><li>Let children pick family activities.</li><li>Try walking the dog or biking to the library together.</li><li><a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Family_Calendar_1.pdf" >Post a family activity calendar [PDF - 148 KB]</a> on your refrigerator.</li><li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm" >Find a park near you to explore</a>.</li><li><a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/what-do" >Plan your next outdoor family activity</a>.</li><li><a href="http://www.presidentschallenge.org/celebrate/active-lifestyle.shtml" >Sign up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) challenge</a>. </li></ul><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/get-active/activity-plan.htm" >Get more ideas on how to increase your family’s daily activity</a>.Limit screen time. Keep inactive (sitting down) screen time to 2 hours or less a day for kids age 2 and older. Exercise TV shows or video games where your child moves around are a better choice than inactive screen time, but most of them do not count as physical activity time.<ul ><li>Set clear rules about when and for how long your child can watch TV, use the computer, and play video games.</li><li>Keep the TV out of your child’s room.</li><li><a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Screen_Time_Log_1.pdf" >Use this screen time log [PDF - 118 KB]</a> to track how much time your family is spending in front of a screen.</li><li><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/reduce-screen-time/tips-to-reduce-screen-time.htm" >Get more tips to limit screen time</a>.</li></ul>Shop, cook, and plan for healthy meals. Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods. Here are some tips and ideas:<ul ><li><a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Grocery_List_1.pdf" >Make a shopping list with healthy foods [PDF - 285 KB]</a>.</li><li><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/nutrition-facts.htm" >Read the nutrition label on packages to help you make healthy choices</a>.</li><li>Let your child pick out healthy foods to try.</li><li>Give children age 2 and older water or fat-free or low-fat milk instead of soda or juice. Children under age 2 can drink whole milk.</li><li><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/fun-family-recipes.htm" >Get tips on how to lower the calories and fat in family meals and snacks</a>.</li><li><a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers/healthy-habits/know-when-they-had-enough.html" >Help children know when they’ve had enough</a>. Give your kids a chance to stop eating when they feel full.</li></ul><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/smart-food-shopping.htm" >Get more tips for smart food shopping</a>.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=21">Eat healthy</a>. You can be a role model for your child by making smart food choices. Plus, a healthy diet can help protect you from heart disease, some types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.Start the day with a good breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make kids hungry and tired, and it may lead them to snack on junk food later in the day. Give your kids whole-grain cereal with fat-free or low‑fat milk and fruit instead of sugary cereal.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTool.aspx?toolId=1">Make healthy snacks</a>. Snacks give kids important nutrients and help control hunger between meals.Sit at the table and eat together as a family. When families eat together, children eat more vegetables and fruits and less junk food. Plan healthy, affordable meals and enjoy them as a family. Let children help pick out healthy foods, prepare meals, and set the table.Make sure your child gets enough sleep. If kids don’t get enough sleep, they are at higher risk of being overweight or obese.<ul ><li>Teens need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.</li><li>School-aged and preschool children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep.</li><li>Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.</li></ul>Set a bedtime schedule and remind your child when it’s time to get ready for bed. <a href="http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/family/showtell/sleep.aspx" >Get more tips on helping your child get enough sleep</a>.Share these Web sites with your kids. These safe Web sites can help children learn about healthy habits.<ul ><li><a href="http://www.bam.gov/index.html" >BAM! Body and Mind</a></li><li><a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/children-over-five.html" >MyPlate Blast Off Game</a></li><li><a href="http://www.bestbonesforever.gov/" >Best Bones Forever</a></li></ul>