Kids & Their Weight: What Every Parent Should Know

Today, nearly one in three children and teens are overweight or obese and face increased odds of developing diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension) while they are still young and other serious medical conditions later in life.

Overweight children can face immediate health problems, such as asthma, sleep problems and skin conditions,1 and are much more likely to be overweight as adults, thus setting them up for a lifetime struggle with their weight. Further, many overweight children have a low opinion of themselves and have less self confidence, which can lead to difficulties in school, fewer friends and depression.2

But here is the good news: you can help your child stay at a healthy weight. Shape Up America! compiled the following guide so you can take action.

 

Find Out If Your Child Is Overweight

It’s not easy to tell if a child is simply large for his or her age or really overweight. That is why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics developed new tools so your family doctor can determine your child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) — a measure of a person’s body fat — and his or her “BMI Percentile,” a percentage that shows how your child compares to others of the same age and gender.

The final piece of the puzzle is to find the weight category that is associated with your child’s “BMI Percentile.” These categories are shown in the table below:
Weight Status Category Percentile Range

Underweight

Less than the 5th percentile

Healthy weight

5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile  

Overweight

85th to less than the 95th percentile

Obese

Equal to or greater than the 95th percentile

NOTE: The Shape Up America! “Pediatric BMI Percentile Calculator” automatically provides you with both your child’s “BMI Percentile” and weight category.

You can also click here to get this same information, using a special calculator from Shape Up America! called the “Pediatric BMI Percentile Calculator.” When using the “Pediatric BMI Percentile Calculator,” follow these five easy steps to find your child’s weight category:

  1. Accurately measure your child's HEIGHT in inches and enter the measurement.
  2. Accurately measure your child's WEIGHT in pounds and enter the measurement.
  3. Enter your child’s BIRTH DATE.
  4. Enter the DATE that you take the height and weight measurements.
  5. Hit the CONTINUE button.

After you enter this information, the “Pediatric BMI Percentile Calculator” will give you the BMI for your child. However, because the amount of body fat in children changes with their age and is different for boys and girls, the calculator also compares your child’s BMI to other children of the same age and gender, using special growth charts CDC developed for boys and girls. The result is a red dot on the CDC growth chart that represents your child’s “BMI Percentile.”

Know When Your Child Is At-Risk for Overweight

To detect weight problems early, child health experts recommend evaluating your child’s “BMI Percentile” at least once a year, and more often if the child may have a weight problem, and to discuss the findings with your child’s pediatrician or family doctor. Having an up-to-date picture of your child’s “BMI Percentile” is important to determine if your child is just large for his or her age instead of being overweight. In most cases, when a child stays at the same high “BMI Percentile” year after year, he or she is considered large and not overweight.

Besides getting your child’s “BMI Percentile” checked each year, be on the lookout for two warning signs that your child is “at risk” for obesity:

  • If your child’s BMI reaches the 85th percentile on the CDC growth chart – meaning that the child’s BMI is higher than 84 percent of all children of the same age and gender.
  • If there is a large change or jump in your child’s “BMI percentile” – for example, if your child was at the 65th percentile for a long time and suddenly goes up to the 75th percentile or the 80th percentile.

What should you do? First, talk to your child’s pediatrician or family doctor, who can take more precise measurements, assess your child’s eating and physical activity habits, and make suggestions on how to make positive changes. Also remember that you have the power to get your child and the whole family on a healthier track. Learning how to make small changes in meal preparation and how to get your family moving will not only help your child get to a healthy weight but will improve the health of the entire family.

Take Action If Your Child Is At an Unhealthy Weight

If your child’s BMI reaches the 95th percentile on the CDC growth chart — meaning that the child’s BMI is higher than 94 percent of all children of the same age and sex — he or she meets the medical definition for “obesity” and should be seen by the pediatrician or family doctor. Your doctor may decide to screen for some medical problems that can be associated with obesity, refer you to a registered dietitian for more advice, or recommend a comprehensive weight management program for your child.

In most situations, the treatment for childhood obesity is not to put the child on a diet. Instead, experts recommend taking steps that will stop your child from gaining weight so the child can “grow into” his or her weight.  The way to achieve this goal is to reduce the amount of fat and calories in family meals and make sure your child burns calories through plenty of daily activity, including vigorous physical activity, preferably outdoors. If weight loss is still necessary after your child has stopped gaining weight and is on a regular program of healthy eating and exercising, talk to your child’s health care provider to develop a plan that is appropriate for your child’s age and weight category.

Take Steps Now to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Let’s face it: getting children to eat healthier meals and be more physically active can be a challenge. Here are 10 simple ways to encourage healthy eating habits, serve healthier meals and snacks, and get the family up and moving:

  • Limit the time children spend watching TV and DVDs and playing on the computer — According to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign to combat childhood obesity, the average American child spends more than 7.5 hours a day watching TV and movies, using cell phones and computers for entertainment and playing video games.3 That is why the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that for children ages 2 and older, parents limit TV watching and recreational screen viewing to no more than two hours a day. For children 2 years old and younger, NO screen viewing at all is recommended.
  • Make breakfast a priority — Children who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who skip the first meal of the day. Focus on healthy choices like fresh fruit and low-fat milk, and make simple “upgrades” to favorite family breakfasts, such as changing the meat to turkey bacon or turkey sausage, and using a fruit spread instead of butter or margarine on bread.
  • Serve foods that are nutrient-rich — Rich in vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients for the number of calories they contain, nutrient-rich foods promote good health and help to control weight. Examples include lean meats, such as turkey; fiber-rich grain foods; colorful fruits and vegetables; and low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt products.
  • Keep snacks small — Don’t turn snacks into another meal. Serve nutrient-rich foods in small amounts, including snacks containing a lean protein that will stop your child from feeling hungry.
  • Read food labels — Information about the serving size and calories can be found on the back of food and beverage packages and cans. You may be surprised at how small the recommended portions are or how many calories are in the product.
  • Learn what a regular portion size looks like — The portion sizes you and your family are used to eating may be too large. That is why Shape Up America! developed a portion size guide. Click here to learn more about what a portion size should look like. If you use smaller dishes, your portions will look bigger and you will eat less.
  • Dish up meals in the kitchen — To reduce the temptation of second and third helpings, serve food on individual plates instead of putting serving dishes on the table. 
  • Don’t eat in front of the TV — To limit the amount of snacking, make a new rule: your family does all their eating at the dining table with the TV off. Getting everyone together at the dinner table is also a way to talk to your children about their day and plan family activities that will get everyone off the couch.
  • Enjoy outdoor family activities — Put the remote away and get moving, preferably outdoors. When the weather cooperates, take a walk with your child, bike around the neighborhood, explore a local park, visit a playground or play in the yard. Plan rainy day indoor activities when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
  • Make sure your child gets enough sleep — Studies show children need about 10.5 hours of sleep a night to stay healthy and alert.  

What is the bottom line? The most important thing you can do is be a role model for the kind of behavior you want your child to adopt. By learning how to make small improvements in family meals, adding more activity and incorporating healthy habits into your family's daily life, you will make a real difference in the lives of your children and “upgrade” the health of the entire family.

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity.
2. Ibid
3. Lets.move.gov