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 Toddler Obesity Is Becoming A Huge Problem In America When a child,
who is not yet old enough to start school, shows signs of being overweight, his
or her pediatrician will order a battery of tests to determine whether the child
has a condition that may be contributing to, or directly causing, the weight gain.
Toddler obesity
is becoming a huge problem in America, so doctors are faced with a challenge.
An upcoming growth spurt can be the culprit, as can diabetes, a thyroid problem,
and a multitude of other disorders. Poor nutrition and overeating can also be
to blame. Many preschool-aged children are described as being chunky or pudgy. This is not uncommon. Toddler obesity is more common than many people think. Their bodies are changing and preparing for growth. They will put on a few additional pounds, grow a couple of inches taller, and thin out once again. That is not the case with some children in this age group. Some toddlers are beyond the classification of chunky or pudgy. They are literally obese. You see it on the talk shows all the time – two and three year olds that weigh as much as, if not more than, middle school students. As
with obesity at any age, an unhealthy lifestyle is what leads to toddler
obesity. Parents often have limited control over the eating habits
of older children. They eat at school and at friends’ houses. They eat when
their parents are sleeping, watching television in another room, or working. Toddlers,
on the other hand, are not capable of fixing themselves an unhealthy snack. Their
parents and caregivers are responsible for choosing and preparing the meals and
snacks that they will consume. The lack of physical activity is also a problem.
When children are permitted to play too many video and computer games, they often
lose interest in outdoor activities that require physical movement. Today, there
are a number of these games that are geared toward toddlers, and it is the parents’
responsibility to be sure that their young children are using their bodies as
well as their minds. Many parents feel that educational games are important for
a young child’s mind, and they are. However, they are no substitute for physical
activity. Parents shouldn’t park their toddlers in front of computers or
televisions and gaming systems and expect them to burn off the calories that they’ve
ingested. . Toddler
Obesity:
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They
can educate parents on the risks that overweight children face, but how do they
keep parents from enabling their children to become overweight and unhealthy?
Having high blood pressure, and being at risk for developing heart disease or
having a stroke, used to be something that only adults had to worry about. Now,
children are being added to the mix, and many of them are only two or three years
old. 
