Obesity in toddlers a source of concern, doctors say

According to the American Heart Association, childhood obesity has become such a public health threat that it could reverse the gains in cardiovascular disease and death made in the last 50 years.

• Warning that the path to obesity can start during toddler-hood, pediatric experts say parents should make sure 3- and 4-year-olds get an hour of active play each day along with five fruits and vegetables.
• "We think that may be a vulnerable period to start excess weight gain," said Dr. Stephen Daniels, professor of pediatrics and environmental health at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
• Daniels was the lead author of a statement published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, which devoted the issue to the topic of obesity.
• Childhood obesity has become such a threat to public health that it could reverse the last half-century's gains in reducing cardiovascular disease and death, the heart association said.
• Dr. Reginald Washington, a pediatric cardiologist in Denver who co-chairs the task force on obesity for the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that doctors still need to be educated about monitoring children that young for signs of obesity.
• If you are in the habit of not eating large portions, if you are in the habit of being physically active, that's going to stay with you."
• Toddlers should eat five fruits and vegetables a day along with fiber-rich grains and should switch from drinking full-fat dairy to 1% or fat-free dairy products after age 2, according to the heart association.
• An overweight child is at increased risk for problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and high cholesterol.
• Terry, who home-schools her children, has a food pyramid posted in front of the kitchen table.
• "It really helped them to understand what food we need to eat and why," said Terry, whose children do not have any weight problems.