Skip Navigation

Jump to navigation

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

National Institutes of Health

Contact Us
Get Email Alerts

Font Size

Accessible Search Form

Search the NHLBI, use the drop down list to select: the entire site, the
Health Topics section only, or the News and Resources section.

NHLBI Entire Site

NHLBI Entire Site

Health Topics

News & Resources

Intramural Research

NHLBI_Public

Drupal_frontend

ISO-8859-1

Public
Health Topics

Drupal_frontend

xml_no_dtd

description.keyw

ISO-8859-1

Education & Awareness

Resources

Contact The Health Information Center

Health Professionals

Systematic Evidence Reviews & Clinical Practice Guidelines

Resources

Continuing Education

Researchers

Funding

Training & Career Development

Division of Intramural Research

Research Resources

Research Meeting Summaries

Technology Transfer

Clinical Trials

What Are Clinical Trials?

Children & Clinical Studies

NHLBI Trials

Clinical Trial Websites

News & Resources

Press Releases

Spotlight On Research

NHLBI In the News

Events

Spokespeople

Email Alerts

E-Newsletters

About NHLBI

Organization

NHLBI Director

Budget, Planning, & Legislative

Advisory Committees

Contact Us

FAQs

1.

Home

2.

Health Information for the Public

3.

Health Topics

4.

Overweight and Obesity

5.

How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented?

Explore Overweight and Obesity

What Are...

Causes

Risks

Who Is at Risk

Signs & Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatments

Prevention

Clinical Trials

Links
Related Topics

Coronary Heart Disease

High Blood Pressure

Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

Physical Activity and Your Heart

E-MAIL | PRINT | PRINT FULL TOPIC | SHARE

How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented?

Following a healthy lifestyle can help you prevent overweight and obesity.
Many lifestyle habits begin during childhood. Thus, parents and families

should encourage their children to make healthy choices, such as following a

healthy diet and being physically active.
Make following a healthy lifestyle a family goal. For example:

Follow a healthy eating plan. Make healthy food choices, keep your
calorie needs and your family's calorie needs in mind, and focus on the
balance of energy IN and energy OUT.

Focus on portion size. Watch the portion sizes in fast food and other
restaurants. The portions served often are enough for two or three people.
Children's portion sizes should be smaller than those for adults. Cutting back
on portion size will help you balance energy IN and energy OUT.

Be active. Make personal and family time active. Find activities that
everyone will enjoy. For example, go for a brisk walk, bike or rollerblade, or
train together for a walk or run.

Reduce screen time. Limit the use of TVs, computers, DVDs, and
videogames because they limit time for physical activity. Health experts
recommend 2 hours or less a day of screen time that's not work- or
homework-related.

Keep track of your weight, body mass index, and waist circumference.
Also, keep track of your children's growth.
Led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, four Institutes from the
National Institutes of Health have come together to promote We Can!
Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition.
We Can! is a national education program designed for parents and
caregivers to help children 8 to 13 years old maintain a healthy weight. The
evidence-based program offers parents and families tips and fun activities to
encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce time spent
being inactive.
Currently, more than 140 community groups around the country are
participating in We Can! programs for parents and youth. These community

groups include hospitals, health departments, clinics, faith-based

organizations, YMCAs, schools, and more.
____________
We Can! is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.

Rate This Content:

<< BACK NEXT >>

Featured Video

Obesity happens one pound at a time. So does prevention.

09/07/2012

This videopresented by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part
of the National Institutes of Healthshows that even a few extra pounds can
affect your health and life more than you may think. Average people in a
parknot actorsare asked to carry a 10-pound sandbag, and report how
the added weight affects them and their ability to carry out normal,
everyday activities.

Updated: July 13, 2012

Related Director's Message
November 12, 2013
Gary H. Gibbons
Collaborative Partnership Model Results in New Cardiovascular Disease
Prevention Guidelines
Read all Director's Messages
NHLBI Research Featured in HBO Documentary Series on Obesity

Hear people talk about their challenges and successes reaching and
maintaining a healthy weight on the HBO Documentary Films series, The
Weight of the Nation, which premiered in May 2012.
The film series spotlights the science behind obesity and how it affects the
health of the nation. Watch the series to learn how citizens, groups, and
policymakers are working to make a difference in their communities. The
films stream free on the HBO Web site.
To learn more about the film series and related public awareness campaign,
including how to host a local screening go to www.nih.gov/health/
NIHandweightofthenation.

Twitter (link is external)

Facebook (link is external)

YouTube (link is external)

Google+ (link is external)

SITE INDEX

ACCESSIBILITY

PRIVACY STATEMENT

FOIA

OIG

CONTACT US

National Institutes of Health

Department of Health and Human Services

USA.gov
<img src="http://nhlbi.122.2o7.net/b/ss/nhlbiglobal/1/H.22.1--NS/0?
%5BAQB%5D&amp;cdp=3&amp;%5BAQE%5D" height="1" width="1"
alt="" />