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CHICAGO - Pediatricians have a responsibility to identify and combat the growing incidence of childhood obesity, with nearly one in seven children afflicted, a medical group said today.
"At a minimum . . . pediatricians need to pro-actively discuss and promote healthy eating behaviors for children at an early age," a policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatricians said.
The statement, published in the group's journal, Pediatrics, suggested doctors urge parents to limit children's television watching to two hours a day, encourage exercise, and promote dietary alternatives to high-fat snacks and soft drinks at home and at school.
Reuters
