ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — According to the CDC, one in five kids between the ages six and 19 are overweight in the US. However, if you ask these kids’ parents, you may get a different story.
Dealing with obesity as a child can be tough.
Gail told Ivanhoe, “If you asked our mom we always needed to be on a diet!”
The percentage of kids affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. But now a new study out of Missouri Western State University says when parents receive their kids’ BMI report card, more than half do not believe it. In fact, only 13 percent of parents whose child is considered overweight or at risk actually make changes to their child’s diet and activity. A normal BMI for a child is between the fifth and 85th percentile. If your child’s BMI is above 85 encourage them to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, they need to burn one thousand to almost 2,500 calories a day. Also offer fruits and vegetables for snacks, and limit sugar-sweetened beverages. According to the sleep foundation, kids also need seven to 12 hours of sleep a night to stay fit. Teaching them how to adapt to these habits early can lead to a longer, healthier life.
Some states in the u-s do require schools to send out BMI report cards. However, if your child’s school does not send out this information, the CDC does have a BMI calculator on their website just for kids ages two to 20: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html.
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor.
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