Obesity in children

Many children do not present with a complaint of obesity or rapid weight gain. It is therefore important that all children be screened for obesity risk with calculation and plotting of body mass index (BMI) on an annual basis, especially those with a family history of obesity or those with a history of intrauterine growth restriction.[83]US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for obesity in children and adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2017 Jun 20;317(23):2417-26. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2632511 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28632874?tool=bestpractice.com

The UK Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health recommends universal height and weight monitoring for children from birth to leaving secondary school.[84]Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. UK NSC recommendation on obesity screening in children - a consultation response. Oct 2018 [internet publication]. https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/uk-nsc-recommendation-obesity-screening-children-consultation-response

Children and their families should be informed of healthy eating and activity habits at a young age in the hopes of preventing a condition that is difficult to treat at any age and that often persists into adulthood.