Children of all ages need a balanced diet to support their growing and developing brain, muscles and skeletal system. Childhood obesity has become a public health problem in the United States, due to the lack of physical activity and poor nutrition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 17 percent of people ages 2 to 19 are obese.
Behavioral Factors
A child's eating behavior can influence how much the child weighs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consuming larger portions, eating meals at restaurants and at fast food chains, snacking throughout the day and drinking high calorie drinks contribute to excess calories in children and adolescents. Children also spend on average more than three hours a day watching either television or movies, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When children eat excess calories and are more sedentary unhealthy weight gain occurs. Children who participate in physical activities are more likely to continue into adolescents and adulthood and have lower weight, better bone health and lower blood pressure.
Parental Factors
Parents buy the groceries and provide the meals for children to eat. When parents make unhealthy food choices at the grocery store or go to fast food chains for meals, the health of the family suffers. Unhealthy foods such as sweets, over-processed foods and fast food can lead to unhealthy weight gain in children as well as adults. Purchasing healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and lean meats provide vitamins and nutrients and are lower in calories and fat. When changing a child's diet to healthier foods, it is important that the rest of the family also change their eating habits as well.
Advertising
Food advertisements that are marketed toward children can be found on the television, in magazines, billboards, grocery stores and on the Internet. According to Science Daily, a study conducted by the UCLA School of Public Health found that children who watched commercial television had a higher body mass index than those who didn't watch programs with commercials. Children who watch Saturday morning cartoons are exposed to one food commercial every five minutes. Ninety-five percent of these commercials have poor nutritional value, reports Science Daily.
