Encourage your child to be physically active, whether in an organized sport or individual pursuit. Whatever your child likes, if it gets her moving for about 30 minutes a day, encourage it. If your child or teen tends to sit around and watch television or play video games, try gently introducing more physical activities into your family life. Take a walk together, go for a bike ride, or offer to take your child and some friends to the pool. Although many teens are anxious to spend time away from their parents, maybe you can take advantage of the small time you have together to get some exercise.
Obesity is defined as an excess of body fat.
Excess body fat adds additional weight to the child and can cause a deviation from normal growth. If a child is gaining weight more rapidly than normal, she should be checked for obesity. The height and build of the child affects whether a child is considered obese at a given weight. A child usually is obese when she is significantly over ideal body weight for her height. Other more accurate ways to determine obesity include the measurement of skinfold thicknesses, bioelectrical impedence, and whole-body densitometry.