Children and weight from intermountainlive.org

Overweight children have a 70-80% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Causes of the increased obesity rates include unhealthy food choices, too little exercise or activity, and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.

The facts
 1 in 3 children are overweight in the United States
 17% of children are obese
 410 classrooms could be filled with overweight Utah teenagers

Overweight children
 are at greater risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and cancer
 are more likely to experience social and psychological problems
 are more likely to experience memory and learning problems due to sleep apnea

Determining if a child is overweight
There are several ways to determine if a child is overweight. A common measurement is the child's Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a number calculated from a child's weight and height. From this number you can determine if the child is underweight, healthy weight, at risk of overweight, or overweight.

• Calculate your child's BMI
To use their calculator to calculate your child’s BMI go to http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=PrimaryChildrens&article_set=30221&lic=5&cat_id=20527

A big criticism of using BMI as a measure for childhood obesity is that it doesn't directly measure body fat. So muscular teens may be incorrectly labeled as having a weight problem. Although most younger children with a high BMI are really overweight and have excess body fat, if you still aren't sure, some other measurements or tests for body fat can be more accurate, including skinfold thickness measurements, waist to hip ratios, and newer scales that actually include body-fat measurements.

Take action
Encourage children to get active now. Early positive experiences with physical activities help children to be regularly active throughout life.
To reach and keep a healthy weight, build better habits together. The 8 Healthy Habits are the best place to start. Scientific studies show that these healthy habits have the biggest impact on your weight, your health, and your outlook.