Key Takeaways

  • Multiple factors contribute to childhood obesity beyond genetics, including community barriers to exercise and healthy food access, high calorie convenience foods, and psychological factors like stress or depression that may lead to emotional eating.
  • Childhood obesity increases the risk of serious health complications such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease from high cholesterol and blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea, and joint pain that can persist into adulthood.
  • Families can help manage childhood obesity by making lifestyle modifications. These may include preparing nutritious home-cooked meals, encouraging age-appropriate physical activity, limiting screen time, and creating opportunities for active family bonding.

Body mass index (BMI) is a tool used to determine your “weight status.” BMI is calculated using your height and weight. Your child’s BMI percentile (where their BMI value falls relative to other children) is determined based on their sex assigned at birth and age.

Children ages 2 through 19 with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile are considered obese.

Children with obesity may have a higher risk for a number of chronic health conditions, as weight-related health conditions can continue into adulthood.

In addition to the potential physical health complications, children and teens who are overweight or who have obesity may become depressed and have a negative self-image and low self-esteem.

There are many reasons for childhood obesity, with family history, psychological factors, and lifestyle all potentially playing a part.

According to research, nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States has obesity. Experts agree that children can inherit genes that predispose them to obesity. However, genetic risk does not account for the more recent increase in rates of childhood obesity, with community circumstances sometimes making it more difficult to exercise and access healthy foods.

Convenience foods, such as frozen dinners, salty snacks, and canned pastas, can contribute to unhealthy weight gain, with food industry practices and how food companies market their products, as well as social and cultural standards and values, also affecting risk.

Children with obesity consume around 1,000 calories more than they need for their bodies to function healthily, while allowing them to enjoy regular exercise.

Over a 10-year period, children could carry as much as 57 pounds (lbs) of excess weight, due to high caloric intake and sedentary lifestyles.

Psychological factors, such as stress, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem, could also contribute to obesity in some children, as they may eat more to cope with negative emotions.

Children who have obesity have a higher risk of developing health complications. Diabetes, heart disease, and asthma are among the more serious risks.

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn’t metabolize glucose properly. Diabetes can lead to eye disease, nerve damage, and kidney dysfunction.

In 2022, approximately 14,500 children under age 18 years were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Children and adults who are overweight are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. However, the condition may be reversible through diet and lifestyle adaptations.

Heart disease

20% of children ages 12 to 19 have lipid disorders. Lipid disorders, also called dyslipidemia, are conditions characterized by elevated levels of fats (lipids) in the blood and include high cholesterol and high triglycerides.

While many instances of dyslipidemia in children are genetic, foods high in fat and salt can also raise cholesterol and blood pressure.

High blood pressure raises the risk of future heart disease in children with obesity, and heart attack and stroke are two potential complications of heart disease.

Asthma

Asthma is chronic inflammation of the lung’s airways. Obesity is the most common comorbidity (when two diseases occur in the same person at the same time) with asthma, but researchers aren’t sure exactly how the two conditions are linked.

According to a 2019 study, around 60% of adults with severe asthma in the United States also have obesity, so managing obesity in childhood can help avoid added asthma risks.

Sleep disorders

Children who have obesity may also develop sleep disorders, such as excessive snoring and sleep apnea, as extra weight in the neck area can block their airways.

People of any age, including babies and children, can develop sleep apnea, with obesity being a common cause. It is most common in children between the ages of 2 and 8.

Joint pain

Your child may also experience joint stiffness, pain, and a limited range of motion from carrying excess weight.

Recent studies show that joint conditions or knee pain may affect over 30% of children with obesity. They also highlight a possible relationship between childhood obesity and osteoarthritis. However, more research is necessary to confirm this.

In many cases, losing weight can eliminate joint pain.

As parents, you can positively influence your child’s eating habits by introducing healthy, nutritious, and delicious foods.

There is often a lot of choice when it comes to the foods you eat, and although you will play a large part in the foods your child eats, they may also be influenced by friends, family traditions and habits, and school.

It can help to understand how your body needs food for energy and how to balance the calories from food and drink with the calories you burn through exercise and movement.

Calories vs. exercise and movement

The calories you consume from food and drink become the energy you need for exercise and movement. The general rules for calories versus exercise are:

  • If you consume the same number of calories as you use, your weight will typically remain the same.
  • If you consume more calories than your body uses, your weight may increase.
  • If you consume fewer calories than your body uses, your weight may decrease.

When it comes to specific calorie intake, the 2026 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises that everyone is different. It will depend on age, sex assigned at birth, height, weight, and the amount of exercise you get.

You can consider limiting sweets and soft drinks in your home. Even drinks made from 100% juice can be high in calories. Instead, serve water with meals to aid digestion and hydration.

Cut back on fast food and limit portion sizes, and try to cook more at home. Preparing a meal and eating together is not only healthy in a nutritional sense, but it’s also an excellent way to ensure some family time.

Center your meals and snacks on fresh foods rather than processed items, baked goods, or salty snacks. A great addition would be:

  • fresh fruits and vegetables
  • lean proteins, such as chicken and fish
  • whole grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain breads
  • nuts, seeds, beans, and peas
  • swapping fried foods for baked, broiled, roasted, or grilled foods

Your child’s weight may begin to drop as they transition to a more nutritious diet, but consult your pediatrician if this doesn’t happen, as they may need additional support from a nutritionist or dietitian.

There are several different strategies that can help manage childhood obesity.

Increase physical activity

You can encourage your child to increase their physical activity to help them lose weight safely. Depending on their age, they may enjoy something fun, like playing hopscotch outside, rather than jogging around the block. You could also encourage your child to try a sport they’ve expressed interest in.

There are different activity recommendations by age:

Age groupActivity recommendations
ages 3 to 5 yearsexercise and movement throughout the day through active play
ages 6 to 17 years60 mins or more over at least 3 days of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. This could be vigorous activities, like running or soccer practice, muscle-strengthening exercises, like climbing or push-ups, and bone-strengthening exercises, like gymnastics or jump rope
ages 18 to 64 yearsminimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activities, like brisk walking to raise heart rate. Also, a minimum of 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening exercises.

Family activities

You can try to include activities that the whole family can enjoy together. This is not only a great way to bond, but it also helps your child learn by example.

Hiking, swimming, or even playing tag can help your child get active and start on the path to a healthier weight. Don’t be afraid to be silly and have fun with your child. Making them laugh can reinforce their enjoyment of movement and exercise.

Cut Down on Screen Time

Children who spend several hours a day watching television, playing computer games, or using their smartphones or other devices are more likely to be overweight.

Here are some key screen time points to consider:

  • Screen time is not recommended for infants under 1 year old.
  • Children ages 2 to 4 years should have no more than 1 hour of screen time, if any.
  • In all ages, caregiver reading, storytelling, singing, and puzzles are preferred over screen time and are extremely important for child development.

Too much screen time can also lead to inadequate sleep, weight gain, lower school grades, and, in some cases, may contribute to mental health conditions. Consider turning off or removing screens an hour before bedtime, and remove them from a child’s bedroom to improve sleep.

Childhood obesity is a serious matter in the United States. However, with proper education and support, children can learn healthier ways to navigate their day-to-day activities.

This support must come from a child’s immediate caregivers and other adults in their lives, and by keeping up with routine wellness visits with primary care physicians or pediatricians.

Helping your children stay healthy by preparing nutritious foods for them and encouraging them to get plenty of exercise will set them up for a well-balanced, healthy life.