Some experts define children as obese if they
are above the 95th percentile in the weight-to-height
ratio, meaning they weigh more than 95% of children
at the same height, and as overweight if they
fall in the 85th to 95th percentiles.
If your child's weight is jumping up percentiles
on the weight charts at annual checkups, it could
be a red flag that something must be done, says
William Cochran, head of the Pediatric Weight
Management Program at Geisinger Clinic in Danville,
Pa.
For instance, if a child is in the 25th percentile
for weight at age 2, the 50th percentile at age
3 and the 75th percentile by age 4, family and
doctor must assess the child's eating and physical
activity habits before he or she hits the overweight
category, he says.
Sometimes a simple intervention can keep children
from getting too heavy, Cochran says.
In many cases, slightly overweight children are
consuming too much soda and juice.
A study released this month showed that 60% of
toddlers and preschoolers who were overweight
or obese during their preschool years still weighed
too much at age 12, setting them on a path to
adult obesity.
