What is Childhood Obesity?

Obesity is one of the worst epidemics in society today. You might not be aware that obesity isn't just affecting adults, it affects children as well. Continue reading to gain more insight about the dynamics of obesity in children.

When it comes to adults, there are ways to readily determine obesity. Example: when dealing with adults one can look at a person to see that their weight fits their height and body style. Then, we have the dreaded scale. Getting on the scales at the doctor’s office is quite often an emotional moment and painful, yet as a measuring tool, it is crucial to determine if you're the ideal weight for your age as well as your height. This info forms the all important BMI or Body Mass Index which is the true measurement as it relates to obesity.

When it come to our kids, it’s not quite that easy. Just looking at a child won't always help you determine if they are over-weight. One needs a modified BMI charts used just for kids. At it's simplest, childhood obesity is considered an issue if a child has more body mass than is average or healthy for their age and height. According to the CDC, if a child has a BMI above the 95 percentile for their age, they're considered obese. Note that each age in childhood brings with it a variety of growth circumstances that also have to be taken into consideration.

Facing Up To The Obesity Problem

Don't feel afraid or embarrassed to contact your physician if you're thinking your child is becoming over weight. Allow your doctor to examine your child and tell you if there's anything to worry about. Some children gain weight just before a growth spurt. It can appear that your child goes from skinny to chunky and then chunky to skinny over night. That's why we have to be careful diagnosing children as obese without If so, now is a good time to take up the cause and do something about childhood obesity.