Many adverse health effects associated with overweight are observed in children and adolescents.

Children or adolescents who are overweight or obese are more likely in the short-term to develop gastrointestinal, endocrine or certain orthopaedic problems than children of normal weight and more likely in the longer-term to develop cardiovascular disease.

Overweight and obesity is a serious, chronic medical condition, which is associated with a wide range of debilitating and life threatening conditions.

To ensure that children feel good about their bodies and to avoid the pitfalls of dieting or eating disorders, it is important that adults treat all children with respect and provide adequate information to children about growth and development and nutrition.

Requiring all students to participate in physical education programs and developing curricula that take into account the limitations of students with physical or mental disabilities will enhance the health of all students

To promote positive attitudes toward a variety of foods and the consumption of healthy food choices, school policies will assure every child access to a nutrient-dense lunch.

Overweight, obesity, eating attitudes and behaviors, physical activity, and body image are all interrelated and will need to be addressed in comprehensive ways that do no harm.

As a teenager, you are going through a lot of changes. Your body is changing and growing. Have you noticed that every year, you can't seem to fit into your old shoes anymore? Or that your favorite jeans are now tighter or 3 inches too short? Your body is on its way to becoming its adult size.

Eat lots of fruits and veggies! Tastes change as you grow older, so you might find you like healthy foods that you didn't like the first time you tried them.

No one should ever be judged, bullied, or teased about their weight, height, or any other physical characteristic -- or for any other reason for that matter! So please let an adult know if that is happening to you or to anyone you know.

Even though it is partly due to the child's body type there is much that parents can do to help their children to manage their weight and the problems it causes.

There can be problems with getting on with other children. Many of these children are teased or bullied by others and so their childhood can be unhappy

Many more children are overweight today than in the past. There is a greater variety of food available and advertised to children, some of which is more likely to cause too much weight gain.

Like adults, kids need daily physical activity. Here are some ways to help your child move every day

Buy fewer soft drinks and high fat/high calorie snack foods like chips, cookies, and candy. These snacks are OK once in a while, but keep healthy snack.

Involve the whole family in building healthy eating and physical activity habits. It benefits everyone and does not single out the child who is overweight.

Healthy eating and physical activity habits are key to your child's well-being. Eating too much and exercising too little can lead to overweight and related health problems that can follow children into their adult years.

You can help your children maintain a healthy body weight by encouraging them to be active. Try taking them to a park. According to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), 75 percent of Americans live within a two-mile walking distance of a public park

Be supportive. Children know if they are overweight and don't need to be reminded or singled out. They need acceptance, encouragement and love.