If Daughter is Heavy as a Baby, Never Escape Being Heavy?
We have heard that if our daughter is heavy as a baby, she will never escape being heavy. Is this true? This is true in many children. Currently, a large ongoing study from the United...
Childhood Obesity
Is Heavy a Hereditary or Genetic Problem?
My husband and I, along with our parents, are heavy. Is this a hereditary or genetic problem? Undoubtedly, an element of genetic inheritance is involved in excess weight. In fact, two syndromes are clearly genetic:...
Epidemic of Obesity in the United States
I’ve heard people say that there is an “epidemic” of obesity. What does that mean? How bad is the problem in the United States? The World Health Organization has noted that there are 1 billion...
What Is The Difference Between White And Brown Fat Cells?
Two kinds of fat (also called adipose) cells exist: white and brown. Their function is to store fat for use by the body as energy but also to keep the body temperature constant and to...
How Much Body Fat Should My Child Have, And What Is Normal?
Broadly speaking, two types of body fat exist: essential fat and storage fat. The body cannot be “fat free.” Fat is a normal, necessary component of cells. Cholesterol and triglycerides, for example, are lipids that...
My Child is Big Boned,Why Would He be Considered Overweight or Obese?
My child is “big boned” (i.e., muscle not fat). Why would he be considered overweight or obese? That may indeed be the case if your child is very muscular and works out, but some of...
Maybe My Son Is Just A Bit Short And Is Slow In Developing?
Do we have to worry now, or can we wait a bit? It is certainly possible that your son is just in a slow patch of his growth and development and that he will sprout...
What is “Morbid Obesity?”
Several other terms are used in the medical literature to define and classify excess weight. They have not been fully standardized. They revolve around the BMI and are included in Table. Terms used to define...
What Is The Difference Between Being “Obese” and Being “Overweight?”
In the past, there has been some confusion about terms such as obesity, risk of obesity, overweight, morbid obesity, and others. This subject has become much clearer because of a major review of the subject...
My Son’s BMI Is 19.8. What Does This Mean?
Here is how to interpret the BMI: Underweight =< 18.5 Normal weight = 18.5–24.9 Overweight = 25–29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater This means that your son has a normal (healthy) weight for...
What Does It Mean If My Child Has A Large Waist Size?
I heard that waist circumference is important. What does it mean if my child has a large waist size? Excessive abdominal (stomach, belly) fat has a worse health prognosis than fat distributed elsewhere on the...
How Do You Account For Height In Finding A Normal Or Healthy Weight?
If Height Matters, Then How Do You Account For Height In Finding A Normal Or Healthy Weight? Yes, height matters. The charts and calculator previ-ously noted account for height. An easy way to find the...
What is The “Normal” Weight Of A Person? How Is It Determined?
The normal (perhaps a better term is “healthy”) weight for an individual is actually a function of age, gender, and height. Charts published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) represent the weights and...