My child is considered “At Risk” for being overweight, what should I do?

For children with a BMI between the 85% and 95% the appropriate goal is to maintain their weight. This can be accomplished by adopting healthy behaviors such as:

• Be more physically active.
• Spend less time watching TV.
• Spend less time playing computer and video games.
• Eat more family meals together.
• Eat a healthy breakfast.
• Eat more colorful vegetables and fruits.
• Drink less soda and sweetened fruit drinks.
• Eat less sweets and salty snacks.

By Candance Gabel, MS, RD, LD, Associate State Nutrition Specialist,
University of Missouri-Columbia