Childhood obesity has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, leading to concerning shifts in societal perceptions of what constitutes a “normal” weight for children. As Dr. Delene Musielak, a pediatrician specializing in obesity medicine, explains, the norms have changed to the point where many people now consider overweight children to be of a healthy size. She said this epidemic has led to a rise in serious health issues that were once only associated with adults.
“Now we are seeing kids with fatty liver, high cholesterol, prediabetes and kids with type 2 diabetes,” Musielak said. “We are used to seeing older obese patients with these issues. It used to be that we would check a child’s cholesterol only if they had a family history, but now if they are overweight, we test their cholesterol at the age of 10.”
The Centers for Disease Control reported that in the United States, over the past few decades, the percentage of children classified as obese has more than tripled, with nearly one in five children now considered obese. This epidemic not only increases the risk of chronic health conditions but also impacts children’s mental health, self-esteem and overall quality of life.
Musielak, a triple-boarded physician in internal medicine, pediatrics, and obesity medicine, is passionate about helping families develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime. At her private practice, she focuses on preventative care and encourages families to address health issues early to avoid long-term consequences.
“What we do, our kids model,” Musielak said. “It’s important for parents to set a positive example. At the end of the day, we are their role models, so we have to make as good of decisions as we are asking them to.”
Musielak promotes a family-focused approach to health, encouraging parents and children to make lifestyle changes together. Thomas Tyndall, a certified fitness trainer and strength and conditioning coach, works with people of all ages and fitness levels and agrees that healthy habits for kids start with mom and dad.
“It starts with the parents and the lifestyle they set,” Tyndall said. “They should set that higher expectation and they should set it on themselves as the leaders of the house, and then that trickles down to the children of the house who are the followers.”
Factors contributing to childhood obesity include poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetic predisposition and sometimes environmental influences like access to healthy foods and safe spaces for exercise.
The key to leading that healthier lifestyle, Tyndall believes, is simplicity. Rather than striving for perfection, families should focus on small, practical steps that will lead to both physical activity and a healthier diet. One such activity he recommends is daily family walks.
“Just go on a walk every night with the family,” Tyndall said. “Leave the phones, get to know each other and focus on your health. It’s as simple as that.”
Tyndall said by starting with 20 minutes and building to an hour, these walks can help the whole family become more active.
Tyndall is also a certified nutrition coach and tells his clients they don’t have to drastically change what they are eating, but should incorporate healthier food choices into the family’s diet.
“You don’t have to cut back on your diet, just implement different foods,” Tyndall said. “Eat more fruits and vegetables. They’re high in fiber and low in calories. They help fill you up and reduce overeating.”
Tyndall also dispels the myth that carbohydrates are to blame for weight gain.
“You want carbs; carbs are not bad,” Tyndall said. “They are the most readily available energy source in your body and they don’t make you fat. Eating too many calories above your baseline makes you fat. If you need 2,000 calories a day to maintain your body and you consistently eat 2,500 calories a day, you’re going to put on fat.”
Tyndall said families can start small with their changes in nutrition by improving one meal a day, for example, by adding a salad with dinner.
“Move more, eat less, eat variety,” Tyndall said. “Eat a well-balanced diet and make it fun. If you have kids you should be teaching them healthy food habits and healthy exercise habits that they should do for the rest of their lives. Show them, too, that it’s OK to get a pizza once a week for pizza night. You can balance nutrition out.”
Another tip from Tyndall is that physical activity doesn’t have to be intense to be effective.
“You don’t have to be a bodybuilder,” Tyndall said. “Just get 10,000 steps a day, plus 15 more minutes of cardio. Join a gym and lift weights two or three times a week. By staying active and eating well, the whole family will feel better and gradually reach a healthier weight.”
Beyond physical activity and nutrition, both Tyndall and Musielak said sleep plays a bigger role in maintaining a healthy weight than most people know.
“Children need consistent, adequate sleep. That means up to 12 hours for younger kids and parents should aim for at least eight hours,” Tyndall said. “There’s lots of literature out there showing that poor sleep can lead to fat storage and hinder weight loss efforts.”
Ultimately, healthy habits should be seen as a lifelong journey. The goal, as Tyndall puts it, is to establish a healthier lifestyle that everyone in the family can maintain.
“You don’t have to be perfect,” he said. “Just get out and do stuff, and don’t eat too much.”
Like Tyndall, Musielak’s method for encouraging lasting change is making one small change at a time – she calls it “habit stacking.”
“Rather than overwhelming families with a complete lifestyle overhaul, this gradual approach helps families build healthier habits without feeling discouraged,” Musielak said.
Musielak also advises families to have meals together and implement no-screen policies during dinner to improve family time.
“If your child needs help, the sooner you get them seen, the better for everybody,” Musielak said. Musielak noted that lifestyle changes are often more effective than medication in the long term, especially for children. Musielak said she prefers to focus on lifestyle changes rather than medications, and she said that she finds that the majority of parents and patients prefer this approach as well.
“We really want to implement lifestyle change,” she said. “Anybody can eat through their medicine or surgery. I have seen remarkable success in teenagers who commit to these changes.”
