By Ready. Set. Grow!
Turns out, moms who have overweight toddlers don’t know it. That’s according to the results of a study, released earlier this month, which found that seven out of 10 mothers of overweight toddlers incorrectly judged their kids’ weight 87 percent of the time. In addition, most the mothers — nearly 82 percent — believed their kids were at the perfect weight, the study found.
The surveyed moms were all participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. In California, 15 to 20 percent of low-income children ages 2 to 4 were obese in 2009 and one out of every three in the U.S. is overweight or obese by his or her 5th birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Physical exercise is key to a child’s healthy weight, along with good eating habits. A child who is overweight is more at risk for so many health problems, including heart and liver diseases and type 2 diabetes.
Ready. Set. Grow! and First 5 LA want to help parents and caregivers get kids moving this summer. Besides lots of exercise-related blogs here, be sure to check out the Get Out & Play hub for age-appropriate physical activities for young children — especially kicking, catching, throwing and swimming. Be eligible to win prizes by taking the Get Out & Play Challenge and find free or low-cost activities to get kids outside and moving this summer. Be sure to look for us at the Fitness Feria on Saturday, June 16 and the Univision Health Fair on Sunday, July 29.
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