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Reducing Obesity Rates in Children

ENGLISH

What is Childhood Obesity?

The Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines childhood obesity as a body-mass-index, known as BMI, of a child is at or above the 95th percentile of other children in his age group. A BMI, is the weight of a person in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. This means that child’s BMI is higher than 95% of other children his or her age. However, BMI is a screening tool and to ensure your child is obese, visit your physician.

Use the BMI screening tool for children and adolescents: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html

Why it is Childhood Obesity a Problem?

Children who are obese, are more likely to become obese adults and suffer chronic diseases and poor quality of life.

What Factors Contribute to Childhood Obesity?

Childhood obesity can affect all children who follow a poor diet that is high in fats and sugars, and who lack regular exercise.

Latinos (25.8%) have greater rates of obesity than other groups.  

Environmental factors can contribute to childhood obesity, such as not having access to healthy food or safe places to play. Yet, behavior is a key contributor to childhood obesity. For example, eating burgers, fries and a soda on a regular basis, without engaging in physical activity will increase a child’s chances of becoming obese.

The best way to address childhood obesity is by making simple, but long-term lifestyle choices to eat healthier and get more exercise. As a parent, you can help your child make these lifestyle choices by eating out less often, or removing soda from their diet. Remember, your child depends on you to help them make healthy choices.

Addressing Childhood Obesity

To start eating healthy, it is important to know what is healthy eating is. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating a variety of vegetable and fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat and fat-free eating dairy products. It is also important to limit eating foods and beverages with added sugars, solid fats or sodium.

For children, it is recommended that they exercise for 60 minutes a day.

To start eating healthy, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using MyPlate as a guide to eat healthy. MyPlate is a tool to help you and your child choose healthy foods. You can download the MyPlatePlanMenuTemplate to help you choose the right foods for you and your child. 

Visit MyPlate resources for other important resources that can help you start eating healthy. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/start-simple-myplate

Remember, the habits your child learns now, will stay with them as adults. Ensure that they learn healthy habits so they can become healthy adults.

The information on this post was obatined from the following sources:

ESPAÑOL

¿Qué es la obesidad infantil?

El Centro para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en Ingles) define la obesidad infantil como un índice de masa corporal, conocido como BMI, en o mas alto del percentil de 95% cuando es comparado con otros niños de su misma edad. Un BMI, es el peso de una persona en kilogramos dividido por el cuadrado de altura en metros. Esto significa que el BMI del niño es superior al 95% de otros niños de su edad. Sin embargo, el BMI es una herramienta de detección y para asegurarque que su hijo sea obeso, visite a su médico.

Utilice la herramienta de detección del BMI para niños y adolescentes: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html

¿Por qué es la obesidad infantil un problema?

Los niños que son obesos, son más propensos a convertirse en adultos obesos de sufrir enfermedades crónicas, y tener una baja calidad de vida.

¿Qué factores contribuyen a la obesidad infantil?

La obesidad infantil puede afectar a todos los niños que siguen una dieta alta en grasas y azúcares, y que carecen de ejercicio regular.

Latinos (25.8%) tienen mayores tasas de obesidad que otros grupos.  

Los factores ambientales pueden contribuir a la obesidad infantil, como no tener acceso a alimentos saludables o lugares seguros para jugar. Sin embargo, el comportamiento es un factor clave para la obesidad infantil. Por ejemplo, comer hamburguesas, papas fritas y un refresco de forma regular, sin participar en actividades físicas aumentará las posibilidades de que un niño se vuelva obeso.

La mejor manera de abordar la obesidad infantil es haciendo decisiones de estilo de vida simples, pero a largo plazo. Empezar a comer más sano y hacer más ejercicio son dos cosas principales que se pueden hacer. Como padre, usted puede ayudar a su hijo a tomar decisiones de estilo de vida que lo ensenen ser saludable. Recuerde que su hijo depende de usted para apoyarle a tomar decisiones saludables.

Abordar la obesidad infantil

Para empezar a comer sano, es importante saber lo que es una alimentación saludable. Las pautas alimentarias para Estadounidenses recomiendan comer una variedad de vegetales y frutas, cereales integrales, proteínas magras y productos lácteos bajos en grasa y sin grasa. También es importante limitar la alimentación de alimentos y bebidas con azúcares añadidos, grasas sólidas o sodio.

Para los niños, se recomienda hacer 60 minutos de ejercicio durante al día.

Para empezar a comer sano, el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por siglas en Ingles) recomienda usar MyPlate como guía para comer sano. MyPlate es una herramienta para ayudarle a usted y a su hijo a elegir alimentos saludables. Puede descargar MyPlatePlanMenuTemplate para ayudarle a elegir los alimentos adecuados para usted y su hijo.

Visite los recursos de MyPlate para obtener otros recursos importantes que pueden ayudarle a empezar a comer sano. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/start-simple-myplate

Recuerde, los hábitos que su hijo aprende ahora, permanecerán con ellos como adultos. Asegúrese de que aprendan hábitos saludables para que puedan llegar a ser adultos sanos.

La información en esta entrada de blog se obtuvo por las siguientes fuentes:

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