With all the talk about obesity, you may be wondering what your
child should actually weigh. While adults can use the Body Mass
Index to determine their ideal weight, the scale for children is
different. It's based on percentages.
If your child weighs more than children in the 95th percentile, he
or she is considered overweight. Above the 85th percentile and
your child is considered to be at risk of becoming overweight.
You can see the growth charts for boys and girls age 2-20 by going
to www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.
It's important to remember that this is just a general guideline.
You shouldn't become too obsessed with making your child's weight
fit into a specific category. Instead, worry about his or her
overall health.
If your child is approaching the 85th percentile, you'll want to
look at your family's lifestyle and see where you can make
improvements. You should also talk to your pediatrician before you
make the determination that your child is overweight.
It's important to help your child maintain a healthy weight because
that will contribute to a healthy adult weight. However, it's also
important that you take things in moderation. Constantly weighing
your child and becoming fanatical about keeping his weight on
target can do more harm than good.
Use your common sense to monitor your child's weight. Help your
child to have a healthy lifestyle by providing her with a
nutritious diet and plenty of opportunities to exercise. It's also
critical for you to be a good role model.
You can't expect for your child to change her lifestyle while you
keep the same unhealthy one. When you work to keep the whole
family healthy, your child will be more likely to have a healthy
weight.
Rachel at YAYFood gives lots of tips on how to change our lifestyle and that it not just about us but also our childred. Visit her site here: http://www.YAYFood.com/
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