Dietary and Exercise Patterns in Families

Dietary and exercise patterns in families have become increasingly important to control, as the incidence of overweight and obesity has increased in both adults and children over the past 4 decades. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for the development of Type 2 diabetes and, consequently, cardiovascular disease later in life. Lower income minority families are disproportionately affected. Dietary pattern changes in families include an increased consumption of fast food, calorie-dense foods, sugared beverages, and increased portion sizes. Family exercise patterns have also changed, with decreased exercise and increased sedentary behavior, such as television viewing and computer usage. Improving family dietary and exercise patterns to manage and prevent the development of overweight and obesity—and in turn the development of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease—is ...