ABSTRACT
As we strive to nd new strategies to combat the problems associated with pediatric obesity, it is important to never lose sight of the ultimate goal-to help children grow up to be healthy, happy adults-embodied in the two primary goals of the Healthy People 2010 initiative (www.healthypeople.gov): (1) help individuals of all ages increase their quality and years of healthy life; and (2) eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population. We must be vigilant to ensure that our attempts to help children and families deal with issues of overweight do not unintentionally do harm by compromising their nutrition or their growth or by labeling or treating them in such a way as to limit or narrow their life possibilities. Our job as practitioners (health care providers, counselors, therapists, etc.) is to learn as much as we can about the outside forces and secular trends that are causing many children to be heavier than they were meant to be and provide guidance and treatment recommendations to combat these forces while also optimizing each child’s physical and mental health and development. The goals of this chapter are to provide some basic guidance for what constitutes normal growth and good nutrition for children at different ages and to offer practical examples, recommended reading, and useful references.
