Are Your Kids To Fat?


As childhood obesity becomes more common in America, researchers are starting to investigate its devastating emotional impact on our youth. For years we’ve known that fat children have an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and skeletal problems. Dr. Sylvia Rimm now tells us, in her new book, Rescuing the Emotional Lives of Overweight Children, that these kids are four times more likely to be lonely than their normal-weight classmates and five times more likely to have low self-confidence.

Parents can help their children control their weight in a variety of ways. Their first goal in most cases should be for their child to maintain his or her current weight while the child adds height and muscle over time. This can be accomplished by increasing the level of physical activity and emphasizing a healthful, balanced diet. Try to set an example by eating meals together in a pleasant setting. Do not eat in front of the television. And don’t make the value of the food a major issue of discussion with your child; just simply have healthy foods like raisins and popcorn available instead of chips and cookies. Your child will learn the life-long lesson from your example when they consider which foods to eat. The entire family should strive to participate in activities together—such as Frisbee, hiking, or bike riding. How about a roller skating birthday party instead of a movie party?
You can offer emotional support by helping your child to recognize his or her strengths—perhaps academic or artistic. Also try to set up playdates for your younger child that revolve around an interesting activity.
To involve your child in sound weight management practices, why not log onto a website where kids enter their age, height, weight and physical activity and the foods they eat? The children’s Energy Needs Calculator at www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/nyc/vol1_03/energy_calculator.htm or www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/consumer/nyc/vol1_03/energy_calculator.htm lets kids be aware of how to make the right decisions regarding food and emphasizes the importance of having enough physical exercise.
SOURCES: Baylor College of Medicine
www.bcm.tmc.edu/pa/child-weight2.htm

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