Two in 10 children ages 2-5 (21%) are considered overweight or obese, according to the Institute of Medicine. To address obesity among young children, the agency has issued a report combining the usual talking points, such as limiting TV/computer time, with some recommendations such as:
• Use strollers for toddlers and preschoolers only when necessary;
• Childcare facilities should ensure toddlers and preschoolers are active for at least one-quarter of the time they spend in the facility;
• Playgrounds need to be developed with an extra emphasis on open spaces and portable equipment, such as balls or wheeled toys.
• Government agencies and hospitals should promote breastfeeding and ensure their informational materials eliminate any pictures or text that idealize the use of breast milk substitutes;
• Infants should be “off the bottle” and drinking from a cup around age one and no later than 18 months.
• Adults should sit with their children and eat the same foods;
• Allow children to serve themselves when serving from common bowls or family-style arrangements;
• TVs, computers, or other digital media devices should be banned from children’s bedrooms;
The agency intends to launch a long-term social media effort, similar to the smoking cessation initiative, to educate parents about childhood obesity. The agency feels parents and other family members are the strongest influences on the development and behaviors of those under age six.
The IOM plans to use “lower-cost digital media” to make the program both cost-effective and responsive to individual parental requests for information.
Source: “Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies,” Institute of Medicine, Leann Birch, Author, 500 Fifth St., NW, Washington DC, 20001; 814-863-0053; llb15@psu.edu; www.iom.edu.
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