Childhood Obesity: What Age to Start Dieting?

Some pediatricians will jump on the dieting bandwagon as soon as they see a child who is overweight.  Other pediatricians will advise parents to encourage healthier eating and exercise, a sort of wait and see approach. Either way, childhood obesity seriously affects a child's current and long-term health.

What about the age of seven?  Is that too young to put a child on a diet?

Childhood Obesity: Is 7 Too Young to Diet?


This mom of the 7-year-old shared her story in the book "The Heavy."

Recently, I overheard an adult tell a two-year-old toddler the that she didn't want the little girl to be fat and took her snack away.  The little girl wasn't overweight; she was an average toddler.

I've also seen some parents go crazy weighing kids in every day and monitoring their eating down tot he last crumb.  I know one woman who put her teenage daughter on a 500 calorie a day diet because her daughter had gained weight, yet she was never obese.  Strict, crazy dieting also affects children for life.  It affects their self-esteem and confidence.

My vote goes to a balanced lifestyle of encouraging healthier food choices and regular exercise.  I always feel better when I've eaten an apple and gone to the gym or taken a bike ride.  Why wouldn't children feel better with healthy food choices and exercise, too?