Prevention of Childhood Obesity

Treatment is an unnecessary option when you could prevent child obesity.

Prevention focuses basically on parent education.

In infancy, parent education should center on:

• breastfeeding,
• recognition of signals of satiety, and
• delayed introduction of solid foods.

In early childhood, education should include:

• proper nutrition,
• selection of low-fat snacks,
• good eating habits (good balance; vegetables-fruit-proteins)
• good exercise/activity habits, and
• monitoring of television viewing.

In cases where preventive measures cannot totally overcome the influence of hereditary factors,
parent should focus on building self-esteem and address psychological issues.