Promoting Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight during childhood and adolescence is critically important for children’s and adolescents, overall health and well-being, as well as for good health in adulthood. A child’s or adolescent’s weight status is the result of multiple factors working together—heredity, metabolism, height, behavior, and environment.¹ Two of the most important behavioral determinants are nutrition and physical activity. How much and what a child or adolescent eats and the types and intensity of physical activity she participates in can affect weight and therefore overall health. A balanced, nutritious diet and regular physical activity are keys to preventing overweight and...