Blog

By Harbor View Medical Services, PC

Help your child and your whole family eat healthy and stay physically active. The healthy habits your child learns now can last a lifetime.

What can I do to help my child stay at a healthy weight?

Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity. Two of the best ways to prevent your child from becoming overweight or obese are to:

• Help your child eat healthier foods
• Be more physically active as a family

You are a role model.

Parents are often the most important role models for children. When you choose to eat right and be physically active, your child will be more likely to make those choices, too. Plus, being active and preparing healthy meals together are great ways to spend quality time with your family. Plus, being active and preparing healthy meals together are great ways to spend quality time with your family.

Take Action: See a Doctor

Help your child make healthy choices and learn healthy habits.

Ask the doctor to screen your child for obesity.

Your child’s doctor or nurse can calculate your child's BMI (body mass index) and say if your child is at a healthy weight. If your child is overweight or obese, ask the doctor or nurse to help you find a weight-loss program for your child.

Look for a weight-loss program that includes counseling to help kids:

• Make healthy choices about food
• Get more physical activity

What about cost?

Obesity screening and counseling are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, your child may be able to get these services at no cost to you.

Mather Primary Care provides comprehensive, compassionate, and continuous care to patients and their family members. Our physicians are skilled in comprehensive first contact and continuing care for patients with any undiagnosed sign, symptom, or health concern not limited by problem origin (biological, behavioral, or social), organ system, or diagnosis.