Prevention

Prevention of overweight usually begins when children are already identified as being at risk for overweight or overweight. In order to truly prevent childhood overweight, interventions must be started early in childhood.

Although genetics may predispose a child to the development of overweight, environmental factors such as eating behaviors and physical activity can be modified to reduce the risk.

Most parents can benefit from information on how to instill healthy behaviors in their children. Suggestions that a health professional could discuss with parents include:

• encouraging breastfeeding and/or limiting the duration of bottle-feeding
• ensuring appropriate use of low-fat and nonfat milk after 2 years of age
• limiting consumption of high-sugar foods (including juices)
• being aware of portion sizes of foods
• limiting the frequency of fast-food meals
• encouraging family members to drink water
• gradually adopting a modest dietary fat reduction after age 2, so that by age 5 their fat intake is no more than 30 percent of their total calories

The recommendation for physical activity is 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week.

Health professionals should assess physical activity levels and eating behaviors at well-child checkups, WIC, preschool screening clinics or other health encounters.

Suggestions for increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary activity include:

• playfully chasing young children around the yard or playground
  dancing to music
  
• involving children in team sports which can build skill levels and self-confidence, foster teamwork, and increase energy expenditures
• locating community programs that offer non-competitive physical activity such as yoga, tai chi, water aerobics, or hiking clubs
• have young children imitate animal sounds and movements
• encourage older children to walk or bike to a friends house rather than using email or telephones to interact
• form a neighborhood after-school childcare co-op where parents take turns supervising children at a park or in someone's backyard