Is your child at risk.

[Desertthorn]

May 19, 2005 -- Before a baby is born or early in life, he or she may already be at risk for child obesity, says a British study.

Eight child obesity risk factors stand out, and some start before birth or when children are still in diapers, says the study in BMJ Online First.

These factors increase the risk that a child will be obese by age 7:

Parental obesity
Higher birth weight
Spending more than eight hours watching TV when 3 years old
Sleeping less than 10.5 hours per night when 3 years old
Size in early life
Rapid weight gain in the first year of life
Rapid catch-up growth between birth and 2 years
Early development of body fatness in the preschool years (before age 5-6 years, when body fat should be increasing)

Read more. Interesting article. Lynne

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/106/108102.htm?z=1727_00000_5024_hv_03

[earlychildhoodeducator]

Re: Is your child at risk.

Sleeping less than 10.5 hours per night when 3 years old

hummm....and so many people give me crap when I say all my kids sleep in till 10am on most days when we don't have to be any where. We stay up late, I figure if they need sleep, let um sleep, they'll wake up when they are good and ready and I get a nice quiet break.

very interesting.....thanks

[Squeaker]

Weight ratio counter for kids

Since we got our new scales yesterday everyone in the family has jumped aboard them. My 12 year old son is looking worried. He won't tell me what he weighs, he is a little overweight but not too bad. Can anyone tell me where I can find a height/weight/age ratio that gives him a rough guide on how much he should weigh at his age? He spent a lot of time looking for one on the net last night, but couldn't find one which wasn't adult orientated. If I can tell him he's just so-and-so pounds over I think it would reassure him a bit. I just don't want to head down the "childhood anorexia" path, tho I think he's too sensible for that.