3 Tips For Preventing Childhood Obesity

Obesity in the United States has become a health problem. Once school-age children have an interest in what you're cooking or what they are eating, take them to the store to show them the types of healthy foods you choose for them. A study of 16 preschool children 4 to 6 years of age found that the most powerful determinant of the amount of food consumed at meals was the amount served.

Prescription of weight control programs, dietary advice or other individual interventions for the obese child should remain the role of the pediatrician, general practitioner, dietitian or other clinically trained staff. Plan healthy snacks at specific times.

More progress has been made around identifying unhealthy foods and food environments, particularly in schools, and the need to change these environments through policy. Strengthened by advisors' long-standing community ties, the new program will build upon lessons learned from Cooperative Extension specialists' work in this area, nutrition advisors' education programs and 4-H advisors' youth development expertise.

In addition to the further stigmatization of overweight children by focusing on the dangers of obesity and other negatively focused health messages, health educators may also inadvertently discriminate against overweight children by excluding them from general participation in certain events such as school games and sports teams.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided grant support to the IOM Committee on Childhood Obesity Prevention Actions for Local Governments which produced the report. Samaritan Pediatrics in Corvallis also offers Healthy Heroes , a five-week class for kids that Childhood Obesity promotes nutrition and well-being.