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Will Your Child Become Obese?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one out of every five children in this country is obese. While the health status of children in the U.S. has generally improved over the past three decades, the number of children who are overweight more than doubled. Vermont is no exception. If you doubt it, take a look around.
"A lot of parents don't recognize that their children are overweight," says Carol Vassar, M.D., a Central Vermont physician and BCBSVT board member. "I think we're starting to see weight problems in younger and younger children every year," she notes.
"It's never too young to help your child steer clear of obesity," Dr. Vassar says. "Studies show that children have established many of their exercise and nutrition habits before they even go to school.
"Check with your daycare provider to be sure he or she is providing healthy food and opportunities for fitness," she advises. "Children need to be able to run in a daycare setting. They should be interacting with each other and reading books. There shouldn't even be a T.V. in a day care setting."
"Once your child begins to attend school, check to make sure your school system has procedures in place to help kids retain a healthy weight. Getting rid of soda and candy machines at school is a start," Vassar notes.
"Also, support height and weight checks through the schools," she suggests. "Some schools have discontinued the process because they fear that inordinate concern over weight might cause children to develop anorexia or other eating disorders. The problem is, children have a far greater risk of being significantly overweight than they do of contracting an eating disorder. Right now, kids have a 50% chance of becoming overweight enough to have an increased risk of health problems and a 25% chance of being obese. They have a less-than 6 percent chance of developing anorexia or bulimia," she states.
What else can you do to help your child keep the pounds off?
- Teach your child portion control. It's going to be an uphill battle. Fast food restaurants have super-sized even the kids' meals, as if the 550 or so calories in the regular-sized kids' meals weren't more than half of what many small children need for the entire day!
- Limit T.V. watching. T.V. may be the biggest reason why more children are overweight than ever before. Dr. Vassar cites at least one study where turning off the T.V. in and of itself caused children to lose weight. Kids can't engage in physical activity while they're in front of the tube. And many times, they're munching on unhealthy snacks while they watch. Add to that the messages pushed in advertising (fast food, huge portions, etc.) and it's not hard to see why the birth of T.V. occurred at roughly the same time that children started getting fatter. Dr. Vassar stresses that T.V. sets don't even belong in a day care setting.
- Eat family meals at home with your child. An American Dietetic Association study found that children who ate sit-down dinners with their families consumed more fruits and veggies and less soda and high-fat foods than when they ate dinner alone. No small surprise. Kids left to "fend for themselves" tend to make unhealthy choices. If they eat at restaurants, they tend to get portions that are too big and food that is higher in fat (face it – fries come with everything at most family restaurants, especially on the children's menu).
- Give your child a healthy breakfast that features whole grain foods like high-fiber cereal, oatmeal or whole wheat bread. Studies show that children who skip breakfast or make poor choices for breakfast have a higher tendency to be overweight. Kids who eat more grain products for breakfast have the smallest risk of being overweight.
- Encourage physical activity. If your child dislikes "exercise" or team sports, suggest cycling, running, martial arts, or hiking, which your child can enjoy for a lifetime. Wrestling, gymnastics or tennis may also work for a child who feels too pressured when he or she is on a team.
- Let them help you prepare their food-or even grow it. You've probably noticed that your children show more interest in things that they had a stake in creating. If your child tears the lettuce for a salad, he or she is more likely to eat it and like it. If you start a garden with your child, you're likely to grow interest in a variety of fruits and veggies.
- Get the whole family moving. Set a good example and join them in a physical activity. You'll be a good role model and it won't hurt your health either. It's particularly important to make time for physical activity in the winter. Rent snowshoes for the family or go dancing together. Help your children learn to make physical activity an important part of their lives. Dr. Vassar says, "Children who exercise with their parents tend to be the most successful at incorporating physical activity into their lives permanently."
- Don't buy junk food. The old adage that the best diets start at the supermarket really applies when children are involved. Young children can't eat what they don't find it in your cupboards. Limit sweets and fatty foods you buy to small packages purchased for specific occasions. Your whole family will benefit.
- Beware of sweet drinks. You probably know that soda isn't the beverage of choice for your children. (Drinking full-calorie soda can single-handedly cause children to develop weight problems.) The less obvious culprits in childhood obesity are juice drinks and even 100% juice. While juice does provide children with vitamin C, they get all they need for the day in just one serving. Since juice doesn't provide them with any fiber, children are much better off eating the whole fruit. (Even some of the vitamins don't make it into the juice.) Have your children drink low-fat milk (which gives them calcium and protein) and do them a big favor by getting them used to drinking lots of water.
- Avoid pre-packaged kids' foods. Frozen dinners for kids and boxed lunch snacks are very high in fat. They're developed to taste good to kids, but not necessarily to further their nutritional goals. Most don't contain anything remotely close to a green vegetable or a whole grain.
Adopting these tips could help you fend off the weight problems that so many children face. If you think your child may already have a weight problem, ask his or her primary care physician for help. While quick weight loss and fad diets don't usually meet the needs of children, your pediatrician will have advice on how to start your child on a healthier path now.
For more information about childhood obesity, visit the Your Health Knowledgebase in the Health Info section of our website. Or call a Your Health nurse coach at 1-800-289-7525.
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