1. 10 Ways to Raise Food-Smart Kids Slideshow Pictures
2. Quiz: Childhood Obesity
3. Parenting and Healthy Eating Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD, is a U.S. board-certified Pediatric Endocrinologist. After taking his baccalaureate degree from Yale College, receiving his doctoral degree and residency training in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), he completed fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

When the goal is to help a child or teenager reach and maintain a healthy weight, parents must take the lead. Health care professionals and nutrition consultants are there to help. However, parents exert the most control over their child's activities and habits and thus are in the prime position to make and support healthy lifestyle changes.

• The most important thing parents can do for an obese child is to be supportive. Your child's feelings about himself or herself are at least partly determined by your feelings. Let your child know that you love and accept him or her -- at any weight.
• Encourage
• Do not criticize.
• Be aware of your child's concerns about appearance and social relationships.

Weight loss itself is rarely a goal in an obese child or teenager. Rather, the goal is to slow weight gain or simply to maintain a weight over time. The idea is to allow the child to grow into his or her body weight gradually, over time. This may take a year or two, or even longer, depending on the child's age, weight, and growth pattern. Remember, an obese child does not have to become an obese adult. When weight loss is set as a goal, the safest and most practical objective is 2 pounds per month.

For such a plan to succeed, it must involve long-term changes in the habits of the entire family. The obese child should not be singled out. Parents, brothers and sisters, and other family members living in the home all will benefit from a shift toward a healthier lifestyle. Remember that children learn best by example -- set a good one.

Must Read Articles Related to Obesity in Children

Cholesterol and Children High cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease in adults, but some children may be at risk for premature coronary heart disease if they have high ...learn more >>

Diabetes There are two types of diabetes, type 1 (insulin dependent), and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). type 1 diabetes is caused by heredity, environmental factors, o...learn more >>

Gallstones Gallstones are solid particles that form from bile in the gallbladder. There are two types of gallstones, cholesterol and pigment. Causes of gallstones vary, an...learn more >>

See the Entire Obesity in Children Topic Guide »