Proper nutrition is particularly important for children since they are developing life-long patterns and habits that will be very difficult to break later.
Nutrition & Obesity in Children
Poor nutrition can lead to a variety of problems in children, including excessive weight gain and obesity. Childhood obesity can in turn be a precursor to many health problems, from Type II diabetes to heart disease to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is essential to provide your child proper nutrition and help him or her establish good eating habits that will last an entire lifetime.
Why is nutrition important in childhood?
Kids are still growing and need lots of good nutrition to build strong bodies that will last their whole lives, but they don’t need empty calories found in junk food, soda and fatty foods. Reading labels will help you make better choices about the foods you choose.
Quick Facts
- If you are overweight as a child you are more likely to be overweight as an adult.
- Obesity can reduce life expectancy by 22% – that’s about 15 years.
- Being overweight can increase breathing problems like sleep apnea.
- Being overweight means a higher risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) where the liver becomes damaged from processing too much fat.
- Being overweight can make physical activity more difficult, so it can be harder to lose weight as time goes on.
Featured Resources
PDF Downloads
Internal Resources
Videos
These videos were created by Dr. Amer Al-Nimr and funded through the NASPGHAN Foundation Innovations in Clinical Care Grant.
