90th percentile for their age and sex. (In the United States, the 85th percentile is considered overweight).
On average, school-age kids who carried extra weight had higher blood sugar and insulin levels than their peers — an indicator they could be on a trajectory toward type 2 diabetes. They also had higher triglycerides and lower levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol. And a year later, the percentage of school-age children who were overweight had risen to 17%.
The study, led by Dr. Christine Frithioff-Bøjsøe, was published online May 3 in the journal Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity meeting in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
A caveat, Staiano notes, is that even among overweight school kids, blood sugar, insulin and other markers were still within normal range. But, she adds, it is concerning to see the differences at such a young age.
“We don’t know how this will affect them later in life,” Staiano says.
One of the broad goals, according to Staiano, is to not only have formal programs aimed at child nutrition and health, but also practical tools families can use at home. She notes that sometimes simple advice from health care providers can go a long way — on, for example, reading your baby’s hunger signals rather than always aiming to “finish the bottle,” or giving appropriate portion sizes to toddlers.
Staiano says she thinks the American Academy of Pediatrics has been doing a good job of helping doctors and other providers to improve their skills in child weight management.
“I do think health care providers have a big role here,” Staiano adds. “But schools, communities and the corner grocery store can all do their part, too.”
Here are some tips to encourage your child to eat healthier:
- Make sure everyone in the family makes a commitment to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- When possible, prepare foods together.
- Make a commitment to eat at home more often.
- Eat meals together at the dinner table at a regular time. Studies show that kids eat better at sit-down family meals. As a bonus, kids who have a lot of meals with their families tend to have better communication skills and get better grades.
- Go easy on portion sizes, both at home and in restaurants.
- Serve tasty but nutritious snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and low-fat popcorn.
- Don’t force your child to eat or tell them to clean up their plate if they’re not hungry.
- Avoid using food as a reward or withholding it as punishment.
- Pay attention to what your child eats at school. If the cafeteria is serving junk food, you’d be better off packing a nutritious lunch at home.