Overweight in kindergarten

We’ve heard the early years are important for child development. But it seems health habits are established by the time a child reaches kindergarten.

U.S. researchers at Emory University studied children entering school for the first time during the 1998-99 school year. They found kids who were overweight back then were four times as likely as their slimmer classmates to become obese by the 8th grade. Experts say kindergarten may be a critical time for parents and doctors to intervene. Kids are unlikely to be able to deal with weight issues themselves.