healthy children : Powered by pediatricians. Trusted by parents. American Academy of Pediatrics: Dedicated to the Health of All Children
  • Ages & Stages
    • Prenatal
      • Delivery & Beyond
      • Decisions to Make
    • Baby: 0-12 mos.
      • Bathing & Skin Care
      • Breastfeeding
      • Crying & Colic
      • Diapers & Clothing
      • Feeding & Nutrition
      • Preemie
      • Sleep
      • Teething & Tooth Care
    • Toddler: 1-3 yrs.
      • Fitness
      • Nutrition
      • Toilet Training
    • Preschool: 3-5 yrs.
      • Nutrition & Fitness
    • Gradeschool: 5-12 yrs.
      • Fitness
      • Nutrition
      • Puberty
      • School
    • Teen: 12-18 yrs.
      • Dating & Sex
      • Fitness
      • Nutrition
      • Safety
      • School
      • Substance Abuse
    • Young Adult: 18-21 yrs.
  • Healthy Living
    • Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Sports
    • Oral Health
    • Emotional Wellness
  • Safety & Prevention
    • Immunizations
      • Chickenpox
      • DTaP/Tdap
      • Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib)
      • Hepatitis A (HepA)
      • Hepatitis B (HepB)
      • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
      • Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV)
      • Influenza (TIV/LAIV)
      • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
      • Meningococcal (MVC)
      • Pneumococcal (PCV/PPSV)
      • Rotavirus (RV)
    • At Home
    • At Play
    • On The Go
    • All Around
  • Family Life
    • Health Management - Medical Home
    • Family Dynamics
    • Media
    • Work & Play
  • Health Issues
    • Conditions
      • Abdominal
      • ADHD
      • Allergies & Asthma
      • Chest & Lungs
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Developmental Disabilities
      • Ear, Nose & Throat
      • Emotional Problems
      • Genitals & Urinary Tract
      • Head, Neck & Nervous System
      • Obesity
      • Skin
      • Treatments
      • View all
    • Injuries & Emergencies
      • Sports Injuries
    • Vaccine Preventable Diseases
      • Diphtheria
      • Haemophilus influenzae type b
      • Hepatitis A
      • Hepatitis B
      • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
      • Influenza
      • Measles
      • Meningococcal
      • Mumps
      • Pertussis
      • Pneumococcal
      • Polio
      • Rotavirus
      • Rubella
      • Tetanus
      • Varicella
  • News
  • Tips & Tools
    • Ask the Pediatrician
    • Find a Pediatrician
    • Follow us on Twitter
    • Growth Charts
    • Immunization Schedules
    • Newsletters
    • Safety Checklists
    • Symptom Checker
  • Our Mission
    • AAP in Action
    • Medical Editor & Editorial Advisory Board
    • Our Sponsors
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Spread the Word
  • Bookstore
  • Log in
    Forgot password? Close
  • Register
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • My Cart
Healthy Children > Health Issues > Conditions > Obesity

Obesity

Article Body

Various factors can influence the likelihood of a child's becoming overweight. Obesity is usually defined as more than 20 percent above ideal weight for a particular height and age.

Featured article

Emotional Eating

Children use food for reasons other than to satisfy their hunger and nutritional needs. Obese youngsters often eat in response to their emotions and feelings, so it is up to parents to teach them other ways to deal with their troubles.

VIEW

Obesity articles

Assessing Your Home Environment
Behavioral Measures for Weight Loss
BMI Rebound: An Obesity Clue (Video)
Body-Mass Index Formula
Child Care and School Issues
Childhood Obesity: Common Misconceptions
Common Weight Loss Challenges
Conquering Setbacks
Determining Body-Mass Index
Dietary Measures
Downsizing a Super Sized Problem: Curbing Childhood Obesity
Emotional Eating
Emphasis on Exercise
Environmental Factors
Evaluating Snacking Behaviors
Feeding Your Preschooler
How is Your Child Eating Now?
How Obesity is Affecting Children (Audio)
How Will You and Your Child Get There?
Is Your Child Eating More Healthfully?
Losing Weight Safely, Sensibly, Successfully
Managing Setbacks and Detours
Medical Measures
Obesity and High Blood Pressure (Audio)
Obesity's Impact on Teen Health
123

Search Healthy Children


Related Information

  • Articles
  • News
  • Books
  • Overweight and Overuse
  • Healthy Fast Food Options (Audio)
  • Conquering Setbacks
  • Your Changing Role: Helping Your Overweight Teen
  • Eating Disorders: Anorexia
  • Urban 'Corner Stores' Can Contribue to Childhood Obesity
  • Social Stressors Increase Obesity Risk For Girls
  • Fiction can Inspire Teen Girls to Manage Weight
  • Hypertension in the Child Athlete
  • Neck Circumference Can Be Used to Screen for Obesity
  • Caring for Your Baby and Young Child
  • Food Fights
  • Caring for Your School-Age Child
  • El Cuidado De Su Hijo Pequeno
  • A Parent's Guide to Childhood Obesity

Health Issues

Conditions
Abdominal
ADHD
Allergies & Asthma
Cancer
Chest & Lungs
Chronic Conditions
Developmental Disabilities
Ear Nose & Throat
Emotional Problems
Eyes
Fever
From Insects or Animals
Genitals and Urinary Tract
Head Neck & Nervous System
Heart
Infections
Learning Disabilities
Obesity
Orthopedic
Prevention
Sexually Transmitted
Skin
Tobacco
Treatments
Injuries & Emergencies
Vaccine Preventable Diseases
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Healthy Children on Facebook
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Sponsor Policies
  • Site Index
  • All Topics

© Copyright 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved.