The Basics: Overview
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 help your child stay at a healthy weight are to:
- Help your child and family eat healthier foods
- Be more physically active as a family
You are a role model.
Parents are often the most important role models for children. When you choose to eat right and be physically active, your child will be more likely to make those choices, too.
Plus, being active and preparing healthy meals together are great ways to spend quality time with your family.
Share these websites with your kids.
These kid-friendly websites can help children learn about healthy habits.
The Basics: Health Effects
Why do I need to worry about my child’s weight?
Being overweight or having obesity can lead to serious problems, like:
- Asthma
- Type 2 diabetes
- Sleep problems
- Low self-esteem
- Getting bullied
- Heart disease
Learn more about health problems and childhood obesity.
Being overweight as a child increases the risk of being overweight or having obesity as an adolescent and young adult. In other words, many kids don’t “grow out of” being overweight.
Today, about 7 in 10 adults – and about 1 in 3 children – are overweight or have obesity.
Next section
Measuring BMI
Previous section
Overview
The Basics: Measuring BMI
How do I know if my child is at a healthy weight?
Finding out your child’s body mass index (BMI) is one way to learn if he or she is 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. Healthy weight is also 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. You can also use this BMI calculator for children and teens if you know your child’s height and weight.
What if my child is overweight or has obesity?
Successful weight management programs for kids include counseling and education about eating a healthy diet and being physically active. Parents have an important role to play in these programs, too.
Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse for more information.
Next section
See a Doctor
Previous section
Health Effects