Overweight Children and Adolescents

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 352; no. 20; pp. 2100 - 2109
• Main Authors: Dietz, William H, Robinson, Thomas N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 19-05-2005
• Subjects: Age; Biological and medical sciences; Disease; General aspects; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Native North Americans; Obesity; Teenagers; Weight control; Human; Medicine; Child; Adolescent; Overweight
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMcp043052

A seven-year-old girl is 130 cm tall (the 90th percentile for girls of the same age) and weighs 34.6 kg (above the 95th percentile), with a body-mass index of 20.5 (above the 95th percentile). Physical examination reveals no abnormalities aside from her excess weight. She eats fast food and drinks soft drinks regularly, has limited exercise, and watches television or uses the computer for hours each day. What should you advise?
Physical examination of a seven-year-old girl reveals no abnormalities aside from her excess weight. She eats fast food and drinks soft drinks regularly, has limited exercise, and watches television or uses the computer for hours each day. What should you advise?
Foreword
This
Journal
feature begins with a case vignette highlighting a common clinical problem. Evidence supporting various strategies is then presented, followed by a review of formal guidelines, when they exist. The article ends with the authors' clinical recommendations.
Stage
A seven-year-old girl is 130 cm tall (51 in., the 90th percentile for girls of the same age) and weighs 34.6 kg (76 lb, above the 95th percentile), with a body-mass index (defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 20.5 (above the 95th percentile). Physical examination reveals no abnormalities aside from her excess weight. Her family eats at a quick-service restaurant once a week, and she drinks approximately 16 oz (450 ml) of soft drinks and 8 oz (225 ml) of whole milk per day. Her physical activity is limited . . .