U.S. News & World Report – Marc Michalsky, M.D.
“Having a child categorized as overweight, obese or severely obese can certainly be concerning news for parents and kids alike. But the discussion shouldn’t stop at weight, since excess body fat raises the risk of developing a number of serious health conditions…The obvious next question is at what age should a child’s weight become a concern for parents? Many parents consider a heavy child as having baby fat and reassure themselves in thinking that their overweight or obese child will simply outgrow it, but the reality is quite the opposite…recognizing that kids as young as age 5 are potentially vulnerable and using common sense strategies can help to reduce the chances children will become obese – and, in turn, reduce the likelihood of adult obesity.”(more)