About one of every eight children is overweight or at risk of overweight and the number of overweight children continues to grow.

It may be difficult to tell if your child has gained too much weight. Growth in height and weight don't always happen at the same time, so a child's heaviness may simply mean that he or she is getting ready to grow taller.

Parents often compare their children to other children of the same age. This is not very helpful because children come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and it is normal for some to be taller and heavier while others are shorter and lighter. For example, it is normal for ten-year-old girls to weigh anywhere between 50 and 83 pounds, and boys of the same age may weigh between 57 and 90 pounds.

If you are concerned about your child's weight, ask your health care provider for advice. The doctor, nurse or dietitian can use a growth chart to determine if your child is growing at an appropriate rate. If you have information on your child's height and weight at different ages since birth, give this information to your health care provider. This helps him or her to consider your child's overall growth rate when evaluating your child's case.

Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are a combination of genetic factors, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy eating patterns.

If you find that your child is gaining too much weight, decide carefully what to do about it. Limiting the amount of food a child eats can be harmful because the child may feel a need to hoard food or the child might overeat when food is available. The best thing to do for an overweight child - and for all children - is to encourage regular physical activity and to help the child eat well-balanced meals and snacks.

Here are some suggestions:

     · Be a role model by practicing healthy eating and physical activity habits yourself.
     · Make the healthiest food choices like fresh fruit more convenient than cookies and chips when family members want a quick snack.
     · Limit the amount of time your child spends watching TV or playing video games.
     · Plan for meals and snacks to be served at a reasonably reliable schedule.
     · Encourage active play every day for your child.
     · Limit high-fat and high-calorie sweets and snack foods at your house.
     · Introduce nutritious foods in a positive way at an early age.· Make sure your child knows that your love and support will always be strong, regardless of their size and shape.