WASHINGTON -- A panel of scientists concludes that the only way to reverse an epidemic of childhood obesity is for schools, food makers, government agencies and families to work together.

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The prestigious Institute of Medicine says that no single intervention or group acting alone can stop childhood obesity. But working together, the effort should include less TV and computer time, changes in food labeling and advertising, more physical education programs, and help for kids to make better choices.

The report from the IOM, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, is the latest to focus on the sharp increase in childhood obesity. Over the last 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has tripled among youngsters age 6 to 11 and doubled for those age 2 to 5 and 12 to 19. About 9 million American children over age 6 are considered obese.

In the report, the a child age 2 to 18 was considered obese if he or she had a body mass index equal to or greater than the 95th percentile of the government's age-specific and gender-specific BMI charts. Calculate your child's BMI.

Obesity can lead to increased likelihood of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep problems, high cholesterol, gallstones and other problems.

Additional Resources:

• Full Report
• Fact Sheets

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