Childhood obesity is a complex disease with many causes, including genes, eating patterns, physical activity and sleep. There is no single fix, but parents and caregivers can do a great deal to help children reach a healthy weight and build lifelong healthy habits.
Why it matters
About 1 in 5 American children have obesity. Compared with children at a healthy weight, they face higher risks of asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety.
Children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults — and adults with obesity face higher risks of stroke, many cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, early death and mental health problems.
Besides genes, eating, activity and sleep, access to health care matters, and so do the places we live, learn, work and play, which shape access to healthy food and safe places to be active.
1. Model healthy eating
Eating well as a family helps children grow and keep a healthy weight as they age. Real food — a variety of protein, dairy without added sugars, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and whole grains, following nutrition recommendations — sets children and adults up for good health.
- Offer fruits and vegetables through the day. Frozen and canned ones often cost less than fresh and are still good for you — look for low-sodium or no-salt-added vegetables, and fruit packed in water or 100% juice.
- Rethink the drink: swap sugary drinks — soda, fruit drinks, flavored milk — for water or plain milk, or a small portion of 100% fruit juice or low-sodium vegetable juice diluted with water. Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet, and too many can lead to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cavities.
- On your next shopping trip, read the labels for added sugars; some drinks hold a surprising amount. Nutrition guidelines recommend no foods or drinks with added sugars for children younger than 11 years.
More: the Nutrition Facts label and your health.
2. Move more as a family
Active children have stronger muscles and bones, better fitness and less body fat than inactive ones, and activity can sharpen attention and memory and lower the risk of depression.
- Children 3–5 years old should be active throughout the day.
- Children 6–17 should get at least 60 minutes of activity every day.
Being active together helps: walking the family pet before and after school, riding bikes, racing in the yard — and active chores such as washing the car, vacuuming or raking leaves all count.
3. Set simple routines for better sleep
Enough sleep, on a healthy pattern, improves attention and behavior and helps prevent type 2 diabetes, obesity and injuries; it also helps mood, memory and emotional well-being. Children who don't get enough sleep are at risk of unhealthy weight gain.
| Age | Sleep needed |
|---|---|
| Preschoolers | 10–13 hours a day, including naps |
| 6–12 years | 9–12 hours a night, uninterrupted |
| 13–17 years | 8–10 hours a night |
A consistent schedule, weekends included, can help children sleep better.
4. Replace screen time with family time
Too much screen time in childhood can mean poor sleep, weight gain, lower grades and poor mental health. Cutting it frees time for family activities and removes cues to eat unhealthy food. Turn screens off an hour before bed and keep them out of children's bedrooms; a family media plan offers more ideas.
5. Choose childcare that supports healthy habits
So many young children attend early care and education that childcare is among the best places outside the home to build a foundation for healthy living. High-quality programs can benefit a child's social-emotional well-being, education, health and later socioeconomic outcomes. When choosing one, ask about its policies on breastfeeding and feeding breast milk to infants, nutrition standards for meals, outdoor physical activity, and daily screen time.
6. Find a family healthy weight program
If you are concerned about your child's weight, talk with their health care provider, who can assess the health risks. If your child has overweight or obesity, the provider may refer you to a family healthy weight program: a family-based lifestyle change program that helps children and families move toward a healthier weight through positive changes in behavior.
More from CDC
- Tips to support healthy routines for children and teens
- Good nutrition starts early
- Water and healthier drinks
- Making physical activity part of a child's life
- Child and teen BMI calculator
Sources
Based on "Preventing Childhood Obesity: 6 Things Families Can Do," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. The source's stock photographs are not reproduced.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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