Kids & Nutrition

Many more children in the United States are being diagnosed with high cholesterol (also called hypercholesterolemia), or as overweight or obese. High cholesterol, overweight and obesity can cause many problems with your child's health now and as he or she moves into adulthood

If my child is heavy now, will he or she always have a weight problem? Not all heavy children have weight problems as adults. However, as children get older, their risk for staying overweight goes up. The risk is even higher if one or both parents also are overweight. It's important to catch weight problems early

Your doctor will use a chart to find out if your child might be overweight. If your child is heavier than 85% of other children who are the same age and height, he or she is probably considered to be overweight.

Part of your responsibility as a parent is to teach your children how to lead healthy lives now and when they are adults. The best time to start teaching these lessons to children is when they’re young, before unhealthy choices become bad habits. When you pass on healthy habits to your kids, it’s important to practice what you preach. Just telling your kids what to do won’t work—they need to see you choosing healthy behaviors too. The following are some ways to help your kids avoid unhealthy behaviors.