Causes of childhood obesity

Are You Making Your Kids Fat?

Your good intentions may be the reason your child’s packing on pounds
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Are You Making Your Kids Fat? // mom sitting on bench at playground c Thinkstock

Image: Thinkstock

You don’t exercise

Children whose parents do almost no physical activity have a 50 percent greater risk of being unfit compared to children whose parents exercise more often, according to researchers at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. “The most powerful step you can take to get your kids moving is to set a strong example,” says Natalie Digate Muth, MD, RD, a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise who’s a mom and pediatrician. “When kids see a parent's commitment to getting a workout in, the kids understand that it is an important and normal part of everyday life.”

Video: Kids Try CrossFit

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