One limit of the study, she said, is that it collected information only at one point in time, which makes it difficult to determine which came first, obesity or the other problems.
Given the findings, what can a concerned parent do? "A good place to start is to begin to think about healthy habits for the whole family," said Gross. She suggests working together to make small changes that will help with weight control.
For instance, a family can eat healthy meals together or vow to eat more fruits and vegetables daily.
Also, she said research studies are needed at younger ages to pinpoint more precisely the links between weight and other health problems.
More information
For more information on childhood obesity, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SOURCES: Neal Halfon, M.D., M.P.H., professor, pediatrics, public health and public policy, and director, Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles; Rachel Gross, M.D., attending pediatrician, Children's Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, and assistant professor, pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City; January/February 2013, Academic Pediatrics
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