Childhood Obesity: Are your children overweight or heading that way?
Statistics of Childhood Obesity - The Health Select Committee Report (2004) stated that children born in the early 21st century have a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to diet and obesity. There are various statistics predicting childhood obesity, all of which make for grim reading. On the whole there seems to be an expected 50% of children to be clinically obese by 2020 if things carry on the way they are. Obese children are at risk of a spectrum of health conditions from heart disease to stroke and diabetes, as well as chronic body image problems. What's more, childhood obesity is the best predictor for adult obesity. An overweight child has a 65% change of becoming an overweight adult (Whitaker et al. 1997).
Research suggests that the family environment is the single major source of influence over childhood eating behaviour (Vogt, 1999). No matter what children encounter at school or via television, what they experience, see and eat at home is likely to determine their attitude towards food and exercise as a template for the rest of their lives. Hart et al (2011) conducted a study that found huge differences between children's exercise and eating behaviour between weekdays and the weekends. That puts an awful lot of responsibility with parents. Parents can't just remedy this issue over night by switching to brown bread and water instead of sugary drinks, because it is also the behaviour you model that impresses children. It is not just a question if "do as I say, not as I do", because children are very clever to spot the difference.
If you truly want to set your child up for success in such a hugely important area such as their diet and exercise, then you need to address your own values and actions towards it. It is not so effective to encourage your children to do a physical activity if they never see you invest any time in that yourself. Nor will it work to lecture them about healthy eating if they see that your patterns don't add up with that. The flip side of this, a total over emphasis of health in the home and the total eradication of any sugary or fatty foods, snacks and treats and too much pushing for physical activity doesn't work either. Children may end up feeling deprived and go behind your back trying to get their treats or may feel resentful about physical activity because they feel forced.
It is never easy to achieve a happy medium, but essential you try. Before thinking about the family environment assess where you (and your partner) are with regards to your eating patterns and exercise. If it needs addressing in any way, do so as a first step to addressing it for your children. When your children see you go out for a power walk or a jog, or they witness you going swimming or attending the gym that is far more powerful than any encouragement you can give them verbally. If you buy wholesome, healthy foods to make family meals with because that's what you want to do, then you are establishing a pattern in your home that your children benefit from. Don't think up special meals for them, as they can eat what's on the table.
If you are making changes then you may encounter some resistance from your children. That's only normal. After all, you have allowed certain things to go on and now you may be taking them away. But with consistency they will get used to the new. Start very simply, by buying brown (brown bread, brown rice and pasta), replacing sugary drinks with water and low sugar cordial and by coming to an agreement about snacks. Personally, I never add any sugary snacks in their lunch boxes, nor crisps. You can add fruit, cut up vegetables, yogurt, nuts and raisins instead. They have a snack/treat after school.
Whatever you decide upon, make sure you stick to it. Your child may suffer if they become overweight and they may face a life of low self-esteem, dieting and ill health if their diet and exercise doesn't get addressed on a day-to-day basis from a young age. With all the other things we do for our children, this is possibly one of the most important as it will set them up for success for the rest of their lives.
References.
The Health Select Committee Report on Obesity (2004) May. Available from: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhealth/23/2302.htm [Accessed 1 March 2005]
Whitaker, R.C.,Wright, J.A., Pepe, M.S., Seidel, K.D. and Dietz, W.H (1997) 'Predicting Obesity in Young Adulthood from Childhood and Parental Obesity', New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 337, pp.869-73
Vogt, C.J. (1999) 'A model of risk factors involved in childhood and adolescent obesity', in Goreczny, A. J. and Hersen, M. (eds) Handbook of Pediatric and Adolescent Health Psychology, London, Allyn and Bacon.
Hart et al (2011), International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Vol.6 Issue 5/6, p. 467-472, 6p
Kirsten de Bouter Shillam is a Lifestyle Expert and experienced Coach & Writer on being fit, healthy, diet/nutrition, parenting and life planning. Kirsten lives outside the box and invites you to join her at Doodle Lounge.
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