For centuries the belief was if a baby was plump with those round fat cheeks, he/she was a healthy happy baby. With the alarming rate of obesity in the United States we can no longer foster this belief. Being an overweight child is a predisposition to being an obese adult. Even more frightening, many overweight children are experiencing diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure at a much earlier age.
Two recent studies, one jointly conducted by the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota and the other at the Vanderbilt Eskind Pediatric Diabetes Clinic found that parents do not have good perception when it comes to their children’s weight.
In the Vanderbilt Study the opinion of the parents of 104 children being treated for Type2 diabetes (previously known as adult onset diabetes) was gathered. 87% of the children in the group were obese by CDC (Center for Disease Control) classification. Although these children clearly had a medical condition that is known to be related to poor diet and overweight, only 41% of the parents recognized their child as being overweight.
In the study conducted by the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota, although all of the children had elevated BMI (Body Mass Index- a statistical measurement which compares a person's weight and height) only 14% of the parents viewed their children as overweight.
No longer is it OK to grab a bar of candy to coerce your child to behaved while you are grocery shopping. Parents need to choose other ways to reward their children other than with food and sweets. Parents need to be provided effective education and guidance so that they understand the role they play in their children’s healthy weight maintenance. If they continue to underestimate the reality of their children’s weight it only sets the stage for their children to have a lifetime of weight related health problems. Parents must take corrective steps (better food choices and encouraging exercise) in helping children manage weight.
If parents set the example for children, as they grow, they will habitually choose a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime.
Posted By: Belinda Anderson
Friday, October 10th 2008 at 1:59AM
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