For anyone who has fallen in love with the pudgy little cheeks of a child it is time to consider whether that chubby, smiling toddler will outgrow their excess weight or if they might be on the road to becoming a fat adult.
Most people probably wouldn’t argue with the statement that parental obesity may increase the risk of their child becoming obese. And yet, according to the January 29, 2010, ScienceDaily.com article, “ Most Parents Don't Realize Their 4 or 5-Year-Olds are Overweight or Obese,” a 2008 study showed that over three-fourths of parents thought their child was of normal weight, when in fact five percent of the children were overweight and four percent were obese.
Recognizing Obesity in a Child
One of the biggest difficulties appears to be in first recognizing that a child is overweight or obese. In the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics report entitled, “America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010,” the percent of overweight children has increased since 1976. Back then only 6 percent of children ages 6 to 17 were considered obese. However, as of 2007-2008, that number had risen to 19 percent.
The June 15, 2010 ScienceDaily.com article, “Pediatricians Can Help Parents Recognize Overweight Preschoolers,” indicates that parents are more likely to underestimate their child’s weight when their pediatrician didn’t inform them that their child was overweight or obese. What is unfortunate is that too many pediatricians “shy away from” labeling a younger child overweight. Yet overweight children very often lead to overweight adults.
In fact a 2009 study by USF-Johns Hopkins (ScienceDaily.com, June 15, 2010) which looked at children ages 2 to 5 years of age found that without a pediatrician’s indication that a child was overweight or obese, a parent would misclassify their child’s body image. Most often these parents would report their child’s weight as the same or lighter than that of a healthy-weight child.
Changing the Habits of Parents and Children
In the April 2004 Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine article, “Parent Weight Change as a Predictor of Child Weight Change in Family-Based Behavioral Obesity Treatment,” poor eating habits were found to be a major factor in obesity among children. Too much sugar and solid fat as well as not enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains resulted in imbalance.
What researchers found was:
- Families in which both the children and parents are obese are common
- Parental obesity may increase the risk of a child becoming obese
- Changing the eating and physical activity habits of the parents enhanced treatment effectiveness compared with child-only interventions
Research shows that parents can help their children maintain a healthy weight by:
- Understanding the relationship between overeating and being overweight
- Actively supporting better eating habits and more physical activity
- Making meal time family time
- Choosing food that offers better nutrition, such as fresh fruits and vegetables
- Packing their child’s lunch each day
- Providing healthy snacks that are lower in sugar and fat
- Involving their child in meal preparation
- Using physical activity as a way to spend more time together
Parents have the ability to keep their children fat or to help them stay healthy and fit. And one of the best ways to lead children to a healthier lifestyle and help them keep from becoming overweight and obese adults is by setting a good example when they are young.
Sources:
- Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. “Parent Weight Change as a Predictor of Child Weight Change in Family-Based Behavioral Obesity Treatment.” April 2004. Accessed 4/18/11.
- Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics Report. “America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010.” Accessed 4/18/11.
- ScienceDaily.com. "Most Parents Don't Realize Their 4- or 5-Year Olds are Overweight or Obese. January 29, 2010. Accessed 4/18/11.
- ScienceDaily.com. “Pediatricians Can Help Parents Recognize Overweight Preschoolers,” June 15, 2010. Accessed 4/18/11.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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