Lifespan Guidance

"All Americans—children, adolescents, adults, and older adults—are encouraged to strive to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Adults who are obese should make changes in their eating and physical activity behaviors to prevent additional weight gain and promote weight loss. Adults who are overweight should not gain additional weight, and most, particularly those with cardiovascular disease risk factors, should make changes to their eating and physical activity behaviors to lose weight. Children and adolescents are encouraged to maintain calorie balance to support normal growth and development without promoting excess weight gain. Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese should change their eating and physical activity behaviors so that their BMI-for-age percentile does not increase over time. A health care provider should be consulted to determine appropriate weight management for a child or adolescent. Families, schools, and communities play important roles in supporting changes in eating and physical activity behaviors for children and adolescents. Women are encouraged to achieve and maintain a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. This may reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy, increase the chances of a healthy infant birth weight, and improve the long-term health of both mother and infant. Pregnant women are encouraged to gain weight within the 2009 Institute of Medicine gestational weight gain guidelines, because maternal weight gain outside the recommended range is associated with increased risks for maternal and child health. Adults ages 65 years and older who are overweight are encouraged not to gain additional weight. Among older adults who are obese, particularly those with cardiovascular disease risk factors, intentional weight loss can be beneficial and result in improved quality of life and reduced risk of chronic diseases and associated disabilities."