Children and Overweight
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Adults are not alone in the concern about weight management. In addition to the increase in the prevalence of adults who are obese or overweight, adolescent and childhood obesity and overweight is also on the rise. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999), indicate that approximately 25 percent of American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 can be described as overweight, or at risk of overweight, an increase of nearly 20 percent since NHANES III (1988-1994). Studies show that 20 to 40 percent of American youngsters are physically unfit. Only a small percentage of obese children may attribute their problem to endocrine disorder or other underlying physical problems. Overweight and obesity can be determined by Body Mass Index (BMI). (See the Background on Overweight/Obesity & Weight Management for more information.)

While health professionals acknowledge the importance of a balanced diet, they rarely recommend severely restricting calories for overweight children. They do, however, stress the importance of increasing exercise and physical activity as a life-long approach to weight management and to overall good health and quality of life.

Dietary guidelines also encourage children age five and over to consume a diet moderate in total fat (30 percent or less of calories) and low in saturated fat (ten percent or less of calories).

Printed with permission from IFIC Foundation (International Food Information Council) www.ific.org

Nutritional Handouts from The Ellyn Satter Institute

•Helping Children Be Good Eaters
•If Your Child is Finicky
•If Your Child Doesn't Eat
•If Your Child Eats Too Much
•Solving Childhood Feeding Problems