Obesity is having too much body fat. Children who are obese
weigh more than what is healthy for their body type. Obesity
increases your child’s risk of poor health and major illness,
including: Being overweight can also cause your child to be
self-conscious about his looks or be teased or bullied.
Overweight children are at increased risk for depression and
substance abuse. Sometimes the pressure from parents and other
adults to lose weight causes children to react too strongly.
They may think too much about weight and set the stage for an
eating disorder. Another problem is that overweight children
often become overweight adults. There are several things that
can cause obesity. Putting on too much weight is the first sign
that your child may be at risk for obesity. You may notice that
your child's clothing is getting too tight. As your child gains
weight, he or she may have symptoms caused by obesity. These
symptoms include: Obesity increases the risk that your child
will have health problems as an adult, su