National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Giving Kids a Healthy Lifestyle

Did you know that 1 in 5 children in the United States are overweight or obese? Childhood obesity puts kids at risk for health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, certain cancers and obesity as an adult.

The good news is that childhood obesity can be prevented. In honor of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, here are some tips on how to help children make healthy changes:

• Get active outside: Walk around the neighborhood, go on a bike ride, or play basketball at the park.
• Limit screen time: Keep screen time (time spent on the computer, watching TV, or playing video games) to 2 hours or less a day.
• Make healthy meals: Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain foods.
• Get your Zzzzzs: Make sure your child gets the correct amount of sleep each night to encourage a healthy weight, energy balance.
• Taking small steps as a family can help your child stay at a healthy weight.

More information

• Childhood Overweight and Obesity 
• Physical Activity Basics
  
• Body Mass Index Calculator 
• ChooseMyPlate.gov 
• Let's Move! Child Care 
• Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools
• Progress on Childhood Obesity
• Aerobic, Muscle- and Bone-Strengthening: What Counts?