Childhood Obesity Matters
Childhood Obesity Matters
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.
Childhood obesity is when a child is well above healthy weight for his or her age and height.
What You Should Know About Childhood Obesity:
- It’s not a character flaw. It’s a disease. Children with obesity have brains and bodies that are wired to gain weight and keep it on. They also live in a world that surrounds them with unhealthy foods and activities 24/7/365.
- It’s not inevitable. Scientists have proven that realistic strategies, like limiting consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, increasing regular physical activity, and reducing sedentary activity, can decrease the risk of children developing obesity.
- It’s not harmless. Seven out of ten children with obesity grow up to be adults with obesity. Those adults go on to have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke.
- It’s not funny. The belittling treatment that children with obesity endure—from children and adults alike—can create scars that last a lifetime.
- To learn if your child has obesity, go to this web page: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html
The Good News:
- Childhood obesity is preventable.
- Family members, caregivers and other role models play an integral part in helping children make healthy choices.
- We can reverse the trend! Find out how obesity rates declined amongst WIC children aged 2 to 4 from 2010 to 2018
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. At Pennington Biomedical, we’re acting now to ensure our future through the Greaux Healthy initiative. We’re helping women maintain a healthy pregnancy weight and preventing gestational diabetes; using technology to help families lose weight and fight type 2 diabetes together; and bringing evidence-based weight-management counseling to pediatricians’ offices to help children and their parents improve their health. Join us today in making a healthier future for our children.
