How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented?

Staying at a healthy weight and preventing overweight and obesity can be achieved through living a healthy lifestyle. Because lifetime habits begin in childhood, it’s important for parents and families to create habits that encourage healthy food choices and physical activity early in life.

• Follow a healthy eating plan. Make healthful food choices, keep your and your family’s calorie needs in mind, and focus on the balance of energy IN and energy OUT.
• Focus on portion size. Watch the size of portions in fast food and other restaurants. The portions served are often enough for two or three people. Children’s portion sizes should be smaller than those for adults. Cutting back on portion size is a sure way to help keep energy IN and energy OUT in balance.
• Be active. Make personal and family time active. Find activities that everyone will enjoy. For example, go for a brisk walk, bike or rollerblade, or train together for a walk or run.
• Reduce screen time. Limit the use of TVs, computers, DVDs, and video games, because they crowd out time for physical activity. Health experts recommend 2 hours or less a day of screen time that’s not work- or homework-related.
• Keep track of weight and other measurements. Monitor your weight, body mass index, and waist circumference on a regular basis. Also, keep track of your children’s growth.

Four Institutes (led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) from the National Institutes of Health have come together to promote We Can!—Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition. We Can! is a national education program designed for parents and caregivers to help children 8 to 13 years old stay at a healthy weight.

The evidence-based program offers parents and families tips and fun activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce time spent being inactive. Currently, more than 140 communities around the country are participating in We Can! programs for parents and youth. These community groups include hospitals, health departments, clinics, faith-based organizations, YMCAs, schools, and more.