General Questions About Children's Weight
HealthWorks! goals at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center provides answers to general questions about weight:
How do I know if my child is overweight?
Children and adolescents are considered overweight if their body mass index (BMI) is over the 95th percentile for their age and gender. BMI is the measurement of choice for most health care providers to determine whether your child or adolescent is at a healthy weight for their age, height and gender. BMI is derived from height and weight measurements and then plotted on a gender-specific chart to determine the percentile.
BMI = weight in kilograms / height in meters squared
Your child's pediatrician or family doctor can calculate BMI after obtaining an accurate height and weight. Online, the Department of Health and Human Services / National Institutes of Health web site provides a BMI calculator for youth ages 2-19, as well as for adults.
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How many children and adolescents in the United States are classified as being overweight?
The proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight is on the rise. The latest analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted from 2003 to 2004 shows that approximately 14% of children ages 2-5, 19% of children ages 6-11, and 17% of adolescents ages 12-19 are overweight. This is about triple the percent of children and adolescents, across all three age groups, who were overweight three decades ago.
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Do overweight children and adolescents become obese adults?
Studies have shown that the risk of an overweight child or adolescent becoming an obese adult increases as the age of the child or adolescent increases. Children who are overweight have a 30% chance of becoming obese adults. Adolescents who are overweight have a 75% chance of becoming obese adults.
According to the 2003-2004 NHANES, there is an estimated 30% of adults who are obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). In addition, the percentage of adults who are severely obese (at least 100 pounds overweight) has grown by 50% in the last 5 years. In 2005, 3% of adults (6.8 million people) were severely obese as compared to 2% of adults (4.2 million people) in 2000. This is concerning because those who are severely obese are at greater risk for having medical complications associated with their obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease. Further, the medical complications associated with obesity result in about 300,000 deaths per year.
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If a child or adolescent is overweight, are they more likely to have health problems?
Children and adolescents who are overweight are at higher risk for health problems both now and in the future.
Overweight children and adolescents are at risk for:
If a child or adolescent continues to carry extra weight into adulthood they will be at increased risk for:
- All the health concerns listed above
- Premature heart attack
- Stroke
- Gall bladder disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Increased risk for some types of cancer
These risks can be greatly reduced by consuming a healthy diet, increasing physical activity and achieving a healthy weight.
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What causes a child or adolescent to be overweight?
The most common cause of weight problems in children and adolescents is an imbalance of energy. Food and drinks contain a form of energy called calories. The body uses this energy in many ways such as:
- Keeping your heart beating
- Healing wounds
- Contracting muscles
- Standing
- Walking
When you take in extra energy through your food and drink, your body will store the extra energy as fat. Many experts attribute this energy imbalance to a combination of inadequate physical activity (decreased energy output) and an excess calorie intake from food and drink (increased energy intake).
Behaviors that often contribute to a child being overweight include:
- Excess calorie intake
- Eating large portions
- Frequent intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g. soft drinks, fruit drinks, etc.) and foods high in sugar
- Taking second helpings
- Frequent snacking
- Eating while watching TV
- Skipping meals
- Using food as a reward
- Eating fried foods and other foods that are high in fat
- Using food to manage stress
- Eating out or doing take-out meals often
- Not enough physical activity
- Watching too much TV
- Limited access to safe and age-appropriate recreation areas and activities
- Playing video games instead of doing active play
- Traveling by car for short distances instead of walking or biking
- Taking the elevator / escalator instead of taking the stairs
- Excessive time on the computer
There are also a number of genetic disorders that can result in obesity. However, these causes of obesity are extremely rare (less than one in one thousand cases). Children who have these genetic disorders are typically not as tall as other children their age and often have developmental problems. If you are concerned that your child may have one of these disorders, it is important to discuss this with your child's pediatrician or family doctor.
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If adults in my family are overweight is my child going to be overweight?
The most common cause of overweight in children and adolescents is the excess intake of calories. Although family history often contributes to someone being overweight, your child will benefit from healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Positive changes in these behaviors can help your child achieve a healthier weight.
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