What are Your
Child's Habits?
If you answer "no" to any of these questions, your child may have habits that can slowly cause an unhealthy weight gain - even in children that are at a healthy weight right now. Is your child learning those habits from you?
Do you and your child: |
You |
Your Child |
| ...get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days? | Yes No |
Yes No |
| ...limit TV and video time to no more than two hours per day? | Yes No |
Yes No |
| ...eat lots of fruits and vegetables each day and limit high-fat and high-calorie foods to only once in a while? | Yes No |
Yes No |
With small gradual changes, you can help your child stay at or reach a healthy weight - and form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Talk with your child's doctor about what is a healthy weight-range for your child. He or she may consider your child's:
- body mass index (BMI) - an estimate of body fat, based on height and weight,
- stage of growth and body frame size - the body adds fat during certain stages of growth, like puberty,
- amount of muscle - muscle weighs more than fat.
Learn about BMI for children and teens.
Your child is likely to be in a healthy weight range if her or she is getting enough physical activity and eating healthy foods. Keep in mind that a child who looks fit may have habits that can slowly lead to an unhealthy weight and, a child who looks overweight may be in good health.