Children and Obesity

Obesity in Adolescents
Children who are inactive—spending time watching TV or sitting at a computer—are at higher risk for obesity, especially when their diet contains lots of high-calorie foods and beverages.

The Metabolic Syndrome Puts Teens at Risk
Doctors think teens who have the metabolic syndrome face a high risk for the early onset of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Diabetes Tops Child Obesity's Health Risks
Children who weigh too much face a broad array of health problems, with type 2 diabetes leading the list.

How to Help an Overweight or Obese Child
Ask a parent to name the greatest health threat to children and you'll hear about drinking or drugs. Rarely will anyone cite obesity -- even though it can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.

A Weighty Issue: Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is more prevalent in the Northeast, followed by the Midwest, South and West. It is also more prevalent in cities than in rural areas.

A Chubby Baby Is Not a Sign of Obesity
With childhood obesity on the rise, should parents worry about the weight of their babies?

Obesity in Children: How Parents Can Help
Most children become obese because of a poor diet, lack of physical activity, and other lifestyle issues. In rare cases, however, a child’s excess weight may be because of a specific illness.

Healthy Eating During Adolescence
Encourage your teen to eat three balanced meals a day, with fruits or vegetables as snacks.

Persuading Kids to Eat Nutritious Meals
It's not always easy to get your children to eat enough fruits and vegetables.

Kids' Healthy Eating Not Just About Food
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases offers suggestions to help your child develop and maintain good eating habits and to prevent chaotic mealtimes in your home.

Kids Need Their Nutrients
Learning a bit more about vitamins and minerals can help ensure your kids are on the right nutritional track.

Metabolic Syndrome and Soft Drink Consumption
Regular soft drinks contain sugar—empty calories in your diet. Sugary drinks also raise insulin levels, which causes you to put on more deep fat.

Lifestyle Changes Can Help Kids Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
Parents can do a lot to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in their kids—even if the parents already have it.

How to Junk a Junk-Food Diet
Whether you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or improve your health, junk food can sabotage a worthy effort.

Weight Management and Adolescents
For overweight children 7 and older, the initial goal is to keep them from gaining more weight. Changes in eating habits and exercise are gradually introduced to trim pounds.

Determining Body Mass Index for Teens
Although it is not a perfect measure, BMI gives a fairly accurate assessment of how much of your teen's body is composed of fat.

Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides in Adolescents
The cholesterol in blood comes from two sources: the foods your teen eats and his or her liver. The liver, however, makes all of the cholesterol your teen's body needs.

Exercise Goals for Healthy Living
You know it's important to stay active but still find yourself falling back on old habits. What can you do? Planning for exercise isn't hard if you make it a priority.

Exercise for the Seriously Unfit
You can't walk across a room without huffing and puffing. Your arms get tired unpacking a bag of groceries. You're carrying more and more excess body weight. And you can't remember the last time you got any real exercise.

Exercise and Adolescents
Teens need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days for good health and fitness and for healthy weight during growth.

Weight Room No Longer Off-Limits to Kids
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine now say that strength training is fine for kids, as long as they are supervised and don't try to lift too much weight.

Weight Training for Teens
Once children hit puberty, and hormones make it possible to build muscle, weight training can become a part of a healthy exercise program for youths. Research suggests strength training has a lot to offer some teenagers in terms of health, fitness and fun.

Walking Works for Everyone
Walking is easy because you can do it almost anywhere and at any time. It also offers a range of health benefits.