Weight Loss:
Preventing Childhood Obesity

There are many things that a parent can do to keep their child from becoming obese, 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 food 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.

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Edited by Charlotte Grayson, MD, WebMD, August 2004.

Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2004

Last Editorial Review: 7/20/2005