(HealthDayNews) -- When your child has his or her annual medical exam, have the pediatrician calculate the body-mass index (BMI), advises the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Since unusually rapid growth may signal obesity, a yearly BMI evaluation can help identify and prevent the problem.
The AAP also recommends limiting TV to two hours a day, encouraging exercise and offering alternatives to high-fat snacks and soft drinks.