This post was in partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrenâs Hospital of Chicago, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend brands we genuinely love.
Parenthood is full of unknowns, and navigating your childâs health can be one of the most confusing partsâespecially when it comes to growth, nutrition, and overall well-being. While having endless information at our fingertips can feel overwhelming, having access to the right guidance can be incredibly empowering. If youâve ever wondered whether your childâs weight, eating habits, or activity levels are on track, youâre not aloneâand weâve sought expert advice to help answer your biggest questions.
Here at The Everymom, our goal has always been to be a trusted resource through every phase of motherhoodâthe exciting, the difficult, and the uncertain. To help parents feel more confident about childhood weight and wellness, we connected with top pediatric health experts at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrenâs Hospital of Chicago to break down common concerns. We also asked you, our readers, to share the questions weighing most on your mindsâso the experts could address them directly. Keep reading for their expert-backed insights and advice!
Obesity prevention and treatment specialist, primary care physician for children and teens, and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
âAround 50 percent of a personâs risk for obesity or struggles with weight comes from a mix of genes from both sides of the family. The combination of genes does matter because Iâll hear parents say they have four kids, two struggling with weight and two who are not. That (usually) has to do with the fact that siblings donât have the exact same genetic makeup.â
Dr. Mangarelli notes that gender can play a role in whether or not a child can âgrow out ofâ being overweight. âIn particular, puberty can help some males improve their body composition and weight because the hormone changes of puberty in boys promote an increase in muscle mass. In contrast, itâs very uncommon for a female to improve their weight status or body composition during puberty because, for females and girls, puberty promotes an increase in fat mass.
Even so, most (but not all) children who struggle with significant weight issues or severe obesity will continue to do so in adulthood. The more severe the obesity is (using BMI/growth charts to measure), the more difficult it can be to outgrow or improve weight issues over time.â
âThis is very important. Essentially, body mass index (BMI) is a mathematical formula that measures a personâs mass by comparing weight to height. Itâs meant to be used as a screening tool, not as a diagnostic tool. And thatâs because it doesnât tell you anything about body composition. It doesnât say how much fat mass versus lean body mass a person has. This matters because itâs not the weight but the excess body fat that can lead to health problems. Often in practice [to specifically measure body fat], we use a special scale like a bioelectrical impedance scale, which is also not perfect but is better than the BMI alone. In addition, we tend to do screening blood work or blood tests and take family history into account, especially for things like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.â
âStudies show that babies who are born large for gestational age and babies who gain weight rapidly during the first six months of life do have a higher risk of struggling with obesity in later childhood. A mom canât control what a baby weighs at birth, but I tell parents that, in infancy, itâs important to pay attention to the babyâs hunger and fullness cues as well as you can. This could be easier or harder based on the babyâs personality, but focus on the babyâs cues rather than when you think they should be eating.â
âChildren and adolescents who have obesity commonly become adults who struggle with obesity, and adult obesity leads to significant health issues, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, organ dysfunction, and certain types of cancer. Having childhood obesity can decrease a personâs overall lifespan as well as quality of life. The notion that people will outgrow it, while true for some individuals, isnât true for most. Most people continue to struggle with obesity through adulthood and, therefore, are at risk for health problems. This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics is no longer encouraging watchful waiting but rather taking action during childhood when there is a better chance of preventing or improving the associated health conditions.â
âThe big things milk provides are calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Not all alternative kinds of milk have equivalent amounts of protein. This can be a big issue in toddlerhood because if one of the alternative types of milk makes up a large amount of the childâs diet (ideally, it shouldnât), they often could be deficient in the amount of protein theyâre getting, which could affect their growth.
Overall, if your child doesnât drink milk, theyâll need to get vitamin D, calcium, and protein in other ways. Other dairy or greens work for calcium, but for vitamin D, thereâs not a lot coming from food aside from fortified milk. Vitamin D comes from the sun on your skin (get outside!), or you may need to use a vitamin supplement. For protein, make sure theyâre getting an adequate amount from other foods, such as meat and fish, beans and lentils, eggs, nuts, and seeds.â
âOverall, it can be hard to do. Focus on healthy or unhealthy habits or choices, and donât center discussions around weight or appearance. Try to give praise when the child makes healthy choices instead of focusing on the negative. Especially for older children and teens, youâll get pushback if you criticize their choices.
Lead by example. Oftentimes, the best move is showing them healthy choices through your behavior and trying to keep the home environment as healthy and positive as possible. You lose some control in middle and high school as teens make more decisions on their own, and it can be a challenge to deal with that loss of control. But being a strong role model can be a powerful way to handle it.â
Dr. Mangarelli says that she often sees this issue coming from co-parents who are not living in the same home or when parents have to rely on grandparents or other family members for childcare.
âI usually tell the parents of my patients to focus on what they have control over. Donât get caught up on what you canât control. I also suggest that the adult in the âotherâ household or with differing views speak with their childâs medical provider to hear directly from the expert and ask questions. Sometimes, messaging from a health professional is better received than the message from a co-parent or family member.â
âAt a time when the child is not around, I would try to have an honest conversation with the family member(s). The comments, while they may be well-meaning, are hurtful and not helpful. Itâs always preferable to focus on choices and habits as opposed to appearance and weight. If the family member is not respectful of your communication and requests, then you may need to limit time spent around them.â
âWe recommend building more physical activity and steps into the daily routine with activities like walking pets, walking to school, and taking stairs instead of elevators. Other alternative physical activities that arenât group sports are riding a bike, dancing, learning martial arts, and jumping rope. Even chores can count if they get the child moving a lot (i.e., vacuuming, gardening, etc.).â
âCertain medications can indeed promote weight gain or loss. Oftentimes, this is due to the medication affecting the appetite or the satiety center in the brain. My best advice is to bring this up with the prescribing clinician to see if the dose or type of medication can be changed or altered.â
âIn addition to focusing on eating habits and physical activity, itâs also important to make sure that children are getting good quality sleep. This may require setting rules around screen time at home. Parents can also help children by providing guidance on managing stress levels and increasing joy and human connection in their lives!â
Led by a team of world-renowned pediatric experts, Lurie Childrenâs is the #1 pediatric hospital in Illinois and an institution we trust for all things kidsâ health. With 140 years of clinical expertise, research, and community engagement, the team at Lurie Childrenâs is committed to putting children and their families at the center of everything they do. We are honored to partner with Lurie Childrenâs to help educate our readers about how we can help our kids lead a healthier future. Learn more about Lurie Childrenâs and find a doctor near you today!
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This post was in partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrenâs Hospital of Chicago, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend brands we genuinely love.
