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Prevent Childhood Obesity

There are many things that a parent can do to prevent obesity in their child, including:

  • Respect your child's appetite; children do not have to finish everything on their plate, or finish the entire bottle.
  • Avoid pre-prepared and foods with extra sugar.
  • Provide your child with a healthy diet, 30% or fewer calories from fat.
  • Provide enough fiber.
  • Limit the amount of high-calorie foods kept in the home.
  • Enjoy physical activities as a family (walking, playing outdoor games, etc.)
  • Limit TV viewing.
  • Do not reward completion of meals with sweet desserts.
  • Replace whole milk with skim milk at about 2 years of age.
  • Encourage your child to participate in active play.

Reviewed by the Department of Nutrition Therapy at The Cleveland Clinic.

WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

Reviewed by Jonathan L Gelfand, MD on July 10, 2008

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