Childhood Obesity & Food

Child obesity: food, nutrient, and eating habits
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Over-consumption of high-calorie foods with dense fat such as fast foods (see fast food and childhood obesity), baked goods, snacks, contributes to childhood Obesity. Large portion sizes for food and beverages, eating meals away from home, frequent snacking on energy-dense foods and consuming beverages having high sugar and high calorie increases obesity in children. Children may not compensate at meals for the calories they have consumed in sugar-sweetened drinks, although this may vary by age. Also, liquid forms of energy may be less satiating than solid forms and lead to higher calorie intake.

Eating Habits also influence the contribution of high calorie foods to result obesity in children. Some eating patterns that have been associated with this behavior are eating when not hungry, eating while watching TV (see television childhood obesity), playing video games, or doing homework. Also, the foods most heavily advertised (see childhood obesity advertising) on media( see media and childhood obesity) are high in calories: candy bars, sugared cereals, etc.

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Childhood Obesity & Diet

Childhood Obesity Fast Food

Childhood Obesity & Nutrition

Everyone knows that American children are becoming fatter, but not everyone agrees on the cause (see childhood obesity causes). There are many reasons how childhood obesity and diet proportional to each other in influencing child obesity. Today's children regularly consume more calories than they expend in physical activity (see childhood obesity & physical activity), but this energy imbalance results from unhygienic environment at in home, school (see childhood obesity in schools), and neighborhood. These include eating models given by parents (see childhood obesity & parents) and other caregivers.

Fast food kids are likely to become obese as adults. Obese adults have twice the mortality of adults who have at least somewhat healthy. Parents, schools, and other caregivers who encourage right food choice for children from early childhood may have a significant impact on reducing childhood obesity, chronic disease, (see childhood obesity effects) and ultimately, adult mortality.

Tips for parents ► What can you do as a parent or guardian or caregiver to help in childhood obesity prevention? We have some food guidelines in our Childhood Obesity Food section.

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