Child Development: Childhood Obesity

This course discusses childhood obesity in detail. We begin by defining ‘obesity’ and identifying factors that contribute to weight problems for young children. We then examine environmental issues that can lead to serious health problems, including food insecurity. We explain why high-fat and high-sugar foods feature so prominently in children's diets.

The course then explains how kids define their eating habits as we discuss the impact of food advertising. We then trace the relationship between genetics and childhood obesity and outline important recommendations for genetic testing in obese children. We delve into the role of sleep in overcoming childhood obesity. The course then covers the topic of exercise and physical activity in helping children achieve health and fitness. We also show you how exposure to stress in early childhood affects the risk of obesity.

We then discuss how changes to biological and behavioral pathways can affect children’s health as we compare the role of genetics and lifestyle. This nutrition course explains how to measure childhood dietary behavior and lays out the medical consequences of childhood obesity. This course is ideal for parents, preschool teachers and childcare providers who are concerned about childhood obesity. Sign up to learn how to make sure the children in your care are eating healthily and find out how to encourage them to do so.