Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a battle

[Bliss]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Tough question! But I think the major responsibility lies with the parents, not schools or TV commercials. Heck, even while pregnant I could increase my child's risk for obesity by what I put in my mouth. Of course it starts with genetics, but then lifestyle makes a huge impact. But it's scary to think that even in the womb, a baby could be set up for obesity issues later in life depending on the mother's diet and health. It all starts somewhere.

I also think our definition of "healthy weight" has skewed way up from what was considered "average weight" in the past. That and portion sizes are huge - a small size drink is what a large size was a decade ago. And let's not forget that people who struggle to pay their bills cannot afford fresh salads, fruit and healthy home cooked meals. So it makes sense that they'd try to feed their families with cheaper but less healthy options. I mean, we live in an age where kids are prescribed Children's Lipitor. You'd think it's easier to medicate than to change a child's lifestyle and health habits, which begin at home.

 

[PinkTower]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

DH recorded a great show about school lunches in France, I'll try to get the title from him later. They were serving fresh, gourmet, amazing lunches to PRESCHOOLERS, and it was really a riot to see these kids eating this delicious food.

I'm pretty sure there is research out there to support that fresh, healthy lunches have a positive impact on student behavior, especially students that are labeled BD. We have a school in the area for children with behavior disorders, and they serve only fresh food, no soda, and rumor has it that they have very few behavior issues during the school day, and credit their lunch food for it. Apparently, they switched food providers and saw a dramatic change. Very interesting.

Really, though--parents can *send* a healthy lunch to school with their kids. You can't blame the schools, entirely. You do have a CHOICE.

Haven, Can you give me the name of the school? (I am working on my MA in Ed and it sounds interesting to me.)
Also, I was reading some things recently that attributed the obesity not just to fast food, but to the lack of calories expended in preparation of the fast food.

 

[lulu]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

This is interesting: http://www.iaso.org/iotf/obesity/

You can see the rates for adults and children.

 

[Haven]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Pink Tower--Central Alternative High School in Appleton, WI is one of the schools that I often see cited in case studies about the link between healthy lunches and student behavior. I'm sorry that I don't want to share the name of the local school, as it's too close to my home and I don't want to share that much information.

 

[iheartscience]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I know a family with a few kids and the way they feed the kids baffles me. They're strict in almost all areas, but when it comes to food they just can't/don't say no. And the kids don't get fed Swiss Cake Rolls-it's real food, but it's too much and too fatty. The mom loves to cook and bake, so there are constantly cookies hanging around and the kids have them on an almost daily basis. She makes them big breakfasts every morning with pancakes/waffles/French toast/etc. One kid in particular is teetering on the edge of obesity and is really obsessed with eating food, always saying they're hungry, etc. For some reason the parents just have a blind spot in this area and it's so strange to me.

My mom made a huge effort growing up to feed us healthy, and it definitely paid off. Her father had a huge sweet tooth and kept junk in their house all the time. As a result, her and all 4 of her siblings have sweet tooths and all but one are overweight. Growing up, we had no sugary cereals, no sodas, cookies/treats only occasionally, etc. Meals were always healthy (with the occasional mac and cheese night thrown in, of course) and we were all encouraged to be athletic. As a result me and all 4 of my siblings are all in shape and we all have healthy eating habits as adults. I don't even want junky food usually-my favorite food is an arugula salad. My biggest weakness is McDonald's breakfast and I only get it maybe once a week-any more than that and I just feel gross and sluggish.

I think the fact that so many kids and adults are overweight contributes to people not even recognize them as overweight. And of course there's the genetic/glandular/big-boned excuse. Who are these people fooling? They're overweight because they eat too much and don't exercise enough. I realize not everyone is naturally thin and that some people are more likely to gain weight than others, but if you're reasonably active and eat the proper number of calories, you'll stay at a stable and healthy weight.

Childhood obesity is a major public health problem and the easiest solution is with the parents, obviously. But due to laziness/lack of awareness/denial, the parents aren't doing anything about it. It's pretty depressing because I just don't see how this epidemic will be stopped.

 

[Jessie702]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Dangit I had this whole thing typed.....

I agree that Childhood obesity is an issue, and is an ever-growing issue, but i think not all of stems for children eating junk food. I for one, was overweight as a child and still am overweight, but constantly working at it. I hardly ever eat junk food, i am active and work out, and i eat mostly Chicken, Turkey for meat, when i eat meat. I eat mostly Veggies, adn Fruit, love green smoothies, but the trick for me, is HOURS of excerise. The whole 20 minutes a day thing, doesnt work for me, i need more like 2 hours to lose weight. I dont over indugle in food either, so why do i have such a hard time, it all boils down to, at least for me, is GENES. I think that sometimes, the people who do the studies also fail to look at family history and genes. I have friends who are model thin, eat nothing but junk and never work out, but never gain weight...why, they are the lucky ones who have skinny genes. Now im not saying that all obesity, at least for children, are because of the genes, but i feel that some of it is.
Yes, children, dont go out and play in the street like my friends and i did. Whats the point for the current and future generations to do so, when you can play in your house, and with more people. I feel that technology has played a roll in the obesity issue,for instance, go to a mall, and look at any group of teens, 9 times out of 10, one or more of them are on their cell phones texting. Texting has made it easy to communicate with people, but has also affected how people, yes, even some adults, communicate with someone, face to face. I know a few adults who cant have a normal face to face conversation, but can text like its going out of style. So the same falls true with children and playing. Why go outside in the heat or cold, when you can play Wii or Playstation inside, and have just as much fun or more, and be closer to the Ice Box?
While its true that junk food is easily more avaible, it is true that parents give it to them. Its easier on the parent to grab McDonalds( so gross) on the way home from work, than cook something. Part of the issue with the junk food epidemic, is it is much easier and more convient for parents. Gone are the days of maybe just one parent working and making enough money for the family, so the other parent can say at home, and do the house responibilites, now im not talking 50's housewife,but when you were younger and maybe mom only worked a part time job or no job, because the money was good. Now and days, both parents need to work to make ends meet, due to the economy, or some children live in a single parent home. Going through a drive through is one less thing for mom or dad to worry about. Thinking back as a kid, we hardly ever ate drive through food unless it was a road trip, or going out on saturday to run errands. During the week, my mother would cook a large meal on sunday, enough to have left overs for two or three days, and than would cook on wedensday to last until Friday night. Saturday we might go out to eat dinner, but now, some parents are quick to pick up something through a drive through.
Another issue with junk food, is all of the added perservatives, who read the McDonalds study,which the lady sat the kids meal on her cabinet for over 80 days? Now, if something last that long, it is basically plastic, and shouldnt be eaten, but most of our food today is pumped with so many artifical things, that its almost impossible to fully digest it all. Normally it takes steak a few days to full digest in your body, but add some perservative, and you can have a steak party all week in your tummy! The Human body was not meant to take in all the artifical, or fake things that companies add to our food. I forget which study it was, but there are trying to show how perservatives can add to weight gain. Humans, are meant to eat things grown from the land, or the animals, that are fresh. Yes, organic and "fake" free items do not last as long, but its the way it was intended to be. We also, eat too much meat, Yes meat is suppose to be part of our diet, but it is not meant to be the main thing. I, for example, have friends, who couldnt get enough meat. Everything was MEAT, MEAT, and MORE MEAT. I hardly ever saw them eat fruits or veggies, and everything had to be Rare( Dont even get my started on that), well recently they had the weightloss surgery due to being close to 400 and 500 lbs. Yes, i think part of their issue was genes, but a lot of it, was from MEAT. For the body to run correctly, we need fruits, Veggies, Grains,Dairy and some meat. It should be about with the fruits and veggies, and Grains and Dairy, but in my eyes, meat should be consumed least, maybe 2 servings a day. While, i know some are going to disagree with me, that is what i feel. My friends are doing well on the weightloss journey, but still argue with me, that Fruit needs to be the least consumed, because its high in calories and sugar, whereas meat, is best, because it is low in calories!! ( Yes, completely backwards)

So while, yes, i think its a food issue, i think mutliple things at the issue. Lack of exercise, due to technology, not enough fresh food and veggies, due to family constraints, and genes. I think that if the excerise and food part could be address, we would see a lot less obese children, but until parents have more time, and maybe technology takes a back seat, obesity will continue to be an issue.

 

[Jessie702]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Sorry for being so long winded...lol

 

[Echidna]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I really don't want to mess up her appetite control or her ability to recognise when she is and isn't hungry.

THIS this this! Thank you, JenniferW! I don't have any children and I'm sure these words will come back to haunt me when the kids arrive but I am a thin adult that really NEEDS to eat little and often to feel optimal. For me, that is all about portion size. I don't care if I have one mouthful left of a meal; if I am no longer hungry, I don't eat that mouthful. When people prepare me a plate of food, I don't eat one bite more than I feel able to (even though I'm sure many people think I'm rude). Yes, I might be hungry again in a few hours but that's a fast metabolism/blood sugar regulation for you. I'm so thankful that my mum took your perspective and let me recognise hunger and LACK of hunger on my own. I'm a slow eater too, TG, so maybe that's part of it?

 

[that_someone_special]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Maybe next we can have a WAR ON ANIMAL OBESITY!

But no, really, I feel like there is always something to obsess and worry about until the new "scare" comes up.

War on Drugs?
War on Terror?
War on AIDS?
War on Cancer?
War on Obesity?

I just wish it wasn't this new "fad" to freak out about and that people just "DID IT".

I don't have kids though, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[iheartscience]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Maybe next we can have a WAR ON ANIMAL OBESITY!

But no, really, I feel like there is always something to obsess and worry about until the new "scare" comes up.

War on Drugs?
War on Terror?
War on AIDS?
War on Cancer?
War on Obesity?

I just wish it wasn't this new "fad" to freak out about and that people just "DID IT".

I don't have kids though, so take it for what it's worth.

Ha! I see your point, but I wouldn't call the childhood obesity epidemic a fad. It's a relatively new public health issue that's related to the way we currently live and the way most parents raise their children. If awareness through all the publicity helps stem it, I won't complain too much!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

.

Oh, and re: healthy being cheap...yeah, spinach can be cheap, but my kid won't eat it!

If the kid won't eat spinach, you give them an apple. Both of my kids are healthy weight (as am I). I think much of what I've done ON A FOOD BUDGET is avoid large portions of anything. I NEVER buy a full-size bag of doritos. If we're going to have them, each kid gets their own mini-bag. Yeah, overall the cost for the chips is higher as I'm buying 2 bags for $2 total, whereas we could have a large bag for $3, but having only mini-bags controls portion and there is no later question about what to do with the rest of the chips. I also only buy those when we go to movies or maybe a picnic...never on a weekly basis. They never gorge on large quantities of anything.

If a person cannot stop after 6 cookies, then quite buying them OR just buy a smaller bag.

Gotta love jumbo size products of every sort. Costco! Cut that store and reduce portion size.

Oh, and another is NO pop and LIMITED juice.

ETA - neither of my kids eat school lunches on a regular basis. I did allow them to have them on Fridays, but my older son told me he didn't want to do that anymore. My younger one still asks for it, but he knows it's a TREAT, not real food, hence once a week.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Childhood obesity makes me so sad. We were at a holiday party with a family of five, and all five were obese. The oldest child is six, the youngest is 2, and they are all very large. I told DH that I think it's child abuse, and I stand by that comment.

I have no idea how difficult it is to keep your children thin, especially when they are picky eaters. The parents' eating habits, and the amount of physical exercise they incorporate into their lives, must have an effect, no?

.

Maybe the parents use the "picky eater" excuse to feed the kid(s) frozen pizza?

The best solution I have found with a picky eater who refuses to eat about 75% of what I make is make foods he does like that are also healthy. This means he doesn't have an entirely well-rounded diet, but he's still eating good foods. (This is my younger son I'm talking about.) The two meats he eats are turkey and beef - both ground and steak, so he eats A LOT of both. Not sure if this makes me a bad parent, but my kid is healthy and perfect weight for his build. I'd rather have him eat ground turkey 3 nights a week than McDonald's or whatever. In fact, we don't even eat fast food. My idea of "fast food" is top ramen. lol

Oh, and he won't eat veggies so I just go with the flow and find a food that is a good compromise - apples. Strawberries, corn, and a few others are also big hits.

 

[partgypsy]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I am with the everything in moderation group. Yes my kids eat prepared foods (tonight it was frozen fish sticks) but they also had spinach salad (my youngest calls them "leafs") and steamed artichoke. When I was growing up we were offered the same food as the grownups, and that's how I cook. There have been times that one of my kids says they are not hungry so I put their dinner away. Lo and behold when at 8 pm they say they are hungry their food is waiting for them. I don't feel that a child has to finish everything on their plate (that will just cause them to ignore their own satiety signals and makes food into some kind of punishment) but it is the parent's responsibility to provide their kids a healthy, well rounded diet. A child has never starved to death because they missed dessert.

And I hear you about the fast food! We took our then 3 year old daughter out to dinner one time and got her a cheeseburger thinking we would help her with it (it was a restaurant, not fast food hamburger), but she loved it and ate an entire 1/3 pound cheeseburger by herself. And times she's had sips of soda she's for days afterwards asked for soda, but we don't buy soda. I don't deny my kids treats (they get them all the time) but that's what they are, treats.

I really don't know about the obesity thing. My grandfather got big when he was old, and my mother is overweight, but besides that no one else really in my or my husband's family are overweight. So it could be environmental (how one eats, role models, level of outdoor activity) but it can also be partly genetic. The genetic part doesnt explain why the rates keep going up though.

 

[E B]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I agree with those who say it just isn't as easy as controlling portions and requiring exercise. Genes can play a large role, and if you're able to recognize a possible problem in the future, it's good to address it before it becomes a problem.

We're firmly in the "why would we feed him junk when he's too young to ask for it?" camp, so my 18-month-old eats a pretty healthy assortment of foods daily- no cookies, cheetos, chocolate milk, etc. The first time he had anything that wasn't naturally sweet was on his 1st birthday, and it was a quarter of a piece of cake, if that. Since we've been visiting family over the holidays, he's had a couple tastes of pie and a few bites of a donut, but he doesn't ask for these things since they aren't given regularly. It helps that he is *constantly* running, so whatever he eats he burns off.

One thing I've noticed at just 18 months is a seemingly insatiable appetite, which I'm hoping is normal for this age (growth spurt?). My husband is a very tall man with a similar appetite, and he (and his family) struggles with his weight. Because of this, I've kept- and will continue to keep- a pretty close eye on things from the beginning. And until they're influenced by friends or school menus, we'll continue to keep the sweets and processed fats out of the house and to a minimum when traveling.

I am lucky that he'll eat ~75 percent of what we offer him, but that could change at any moment, so I'm trying to get him used to a variety of foods while he's open to them. My mom was shocked to hear that he'll eat big chunks of tomato and (baby) spoonfuls of guacamole.

 

[fieryred33143]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Again, I think easier said than done.

Take my kid for example. She will not eat ground beef, hamburgers, or steak. She will only have turkey when we make turkey meatloaf. She only likes chicken.

She has consistency issues. For example, let's say I make her spaghetti. She can't have meat sauce because the sauce is creamy and the meat is solid. She won't have the noodles in tomato sauce for the same reason. So I have to pour the sauce on her noodles and then drain. She also will only eat one food item at a time. She loves chicken broth, chicken, and noodles for example. But she won't eat it together. She will finish the noodles first, then the chicken, then the broth. But she gets full quickly so we have to pick what is most important for her to eat first. She is getting better in that if she doesn't like something, she'll keep eating (as opposed to before where she would throw up) so there's hope.

We are now being strict with saying no. Tonight for dinner she saw the bread and dinner time was over. We dealt with kicks, hits, curses in toddler speak, and screams because we refused to give her bread. She's on the floor now pretend crying over it.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I'm overweight, as is my DH (though personally, to look at him, I don't think he is). Our biggest problem is TIME. There's just not enough hours in the day and I'm sorry, but healthy food IS expensive no matter how you look at it. We are not made of money and we eat ok most of the time, but we also eat what is fast.

Micah generally eats whatever you put in his face (he has yet to refuse anything, which is both a blessing and a curse), but I try to give him stuff that looks better on the labels as far as sodium, sugar, etc. He has tasted things that are bad for him, though, because in my experience banning all of the bad stuff will just make him want to eat it someplace else in the future, like at a friends house. He doesn't get a ton of it, but he does get to sample. He has yet to show any particular enthusiasm for the bad stuff compared to the good, but I am sure it will happen, because he's a kid. I'm just hoping he is more active than I am now. I was in good shape but never thin as a child/teenager, and I will never be thin unless I starve myself. I also had mono at age 5 so that killed any possibility of energy for me ever. With only three hours to myself in the evenings before I have to go to bed, I choose to spend it doing things I WANT to do, instead of things I HAVE to do.

When they can create a 36 hour day, I will exercise more

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I am with the everything in moderation group. Yes my kids eat prepared foods (tonight it was frozen fish sticks) but they also had spinach salad (my youngest calls them "leafs") and steamed artichoke. When I was growing up we were offered the same food as the grownups, and that's how I cook. There have been times that one of my kids says they are not hungry so I put their dinner away. Lo and behold when at 8 pm they say they are hungry their food is waiting for them. I don't feel that a child has to finish everything on their plate (that will just cause them to ignore their own satiety signals and makes food into some kind of punishment) but it is the parent's responsibility to provide their kids a healthy, well rounded diet. A child has never starved to death because they missed dessert.

And I hear you about the fast food! We took our then 3 year old daughter out to dinner one time and got her a cheeseburger thinking we would help her with it (it was a restaurant, not fast food hamburger), but she loved it and ate an entire 1/3 pound cheeseburger by herself. And times she's had sips of soda she's for days afterwards asked for soda, but we don't buy soda. I don't deny my kids treats (they get them all the time) but that's what they are, treats.

When we go out to eat, our kids pick out what they want. It's pretty much a given that regardless of where we go, the kids' menu is going to be filled with junk, high-sodium food. We're okay with that b/c we don't go out to eat very often. Resturant food tastes kinda gross to me. Usually if we do go out, it's just DH and me and we go to a bar and have drinks, a light meal, and then walk to a movie right next to our regular resturant.

With soda, the kids for sure know it's a treat! This year Santa gave them each a bottle of Sprite in their stockings. lol They were thrilled.

ETA - my kids are also ones who are suddenly hungry at 8 pm. That is their bedtime...not sure if they're postponing that or not, but I do feed them a "second dinner," just like the Hobbits in Lord of the Rings. lol Sometimes it's a light snack or other times, like last night, they will eat a ton of food.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I'm overweight, as is my DH (though personally, to look at him, I don't think he is). Our biggest problem is TIME. There's just not enough hours in the day and I'm sorry, but healthy food IS expensive no matter how you look at it. We are not made of money and we eat ok most of the time, but we also eat what is fast.

Micah generally eats whatever you put in his face (he has yet to refuse anything, which is both a blessing and a curse), but I try to give him stuff that looks better on the labels as far as sodium, sugar, etc. He has tasted things that are bad for him, though, because in my experience banning all of the bad stuff will just make him want to eat it someplace else in the future, like at a friends house. He doesn't get a ton of it, but he does get to sample. He has yet to show any particular enthusiasm for the bad stuff compared to the good, but I am sure it will happen, because he's a kid. I'm just hoping he is more active than I am now. I was in good shape but never thin as a child/teenager, and I will never be thin unless I starve myself. I also had mono at age 5 so that killed any possibility of energy for me ever. With only three hours to myself in the evenings before I have to go to bed, I choose to spend it doing things I WANT to do, instead of things I HAVE to do.

When they can create a 36 hour day, I will exercise more

Just wanted to add that food at friends' houses IS and always will be an issue. My son will be given cookies when at friends' houses. What do I do when they come over here? Feed them salads? lol So, yes, I don't feed entirely good foods then... One excellent food I have found most like is air popped popcorn w/just salt. Or trisuits and cheese... That's about it!

 

[megumic]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I'm overweight, as is my DH (though personally, to look at him, I don't think he is). Our biggest problem is TIME. There's just not enough hours in the day and I'm sorry, but healthy food IS expensive no matter how you look at it. We are not made of money and we eat ok most of the time, but we also eat what is fast.

Micah generally eats whatever you put in his face (he has yet to refuse anything, which is both a blessing and a curse), but I try to give him stuff that looks better on the labels as far as sodium, sugar, etc. He has tasted things that are bad for him, though, because in my experience banning all of the bad stuff will just make him want to eat it someplace else in the future, like at a friends house. He doesn't get a ton of it, but he does get to sample. He has yet to show any particular enthusiasm for the bad stuff compared to the good, but I am sure it will happen, because he's a kid. I'm just hoping he is more active than I am now. I was in good shape but never thin as a child/teenager, and I will never be thin unless I starve myself. I also had mono at age 5 so that killed any possibility of energy for me ever. With only three hours to myself in the evenings before I have to go to bed, I choose to spend it doing things I WANT to do, instead of things I HAVE to do.

When they can create a 36 hour day, I will exercise more

Just wanted to add that food at friends' houses IS and always will be an issue. My son will be given cookies when at friends' houses. What do I do when they come over here? Feed them salads? lol So, yes, I don't feed entirely good foods then... One excellent food I have found most like is air popped popcorn w/just salt. Or trisuits and cheese... That's about it!

I can remember being at my friend's house and getting Coca Cola Classic in Dixie cups and Doritos as a snack. Still, to this day, I love both because we didn't have those types of food in my household. Our snack was fruit cocktail cups

 

[Haven]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I LOVED going to friends' houses as a kid--they always had the BEST snacks!

My parents were weird vegetarians, so our pantry was a total letdown. I remember going to my good friend Kim's house and waiting in silent anticipation for the FROZEN DINNERS we would eat if she invited me to stay for a meal. I could barely contain my excitement!
And Stacy had REAL OREOS! We rarely had cookies, and when we did they were Hydrox--the fake, vegetarian Oreos. Gross.

My husband was raised in the opposite environment--his oldest friends like to reminisce about the pantry my MIL used to keep. Ho-Hos, Hostess Cupcakes, Sticky Buns; it was filled with things I have never even eaten to this day.

Ah, to be young again and thrilled by the prospect of eating a forbidden snack at a friend's house.

The only time it backfired on me was when we ate sausage pizza at Kim's house and we all came down with horrible food poisoning. I was convinced it was G-d's way of punishing me for eating meat. And it was on cheese. The horror! I was 12, what can I say?
That was the first and last time I ate sausage pizza, though.

Edited for clarity.

 

[Mara]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Did anyone watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? It was really telling to watch that and see how the people in those towns totally rebelled at the thought of any type of change. Even though, when properly cooked, many many foods are SO much more tasty than frozen crap, people just find it hard to change habits or to even believe that it's a better thing for them. Resistance to change, but also making health a PRIORITY... I talk to so many people who can't find the time to work out. They do have the time, but they prioritize other things instead.

I read something somewhere, while losing some weight years back, that it can take your brain something like 1-2 years to 'remember' something as normal. So you can have healthy habits for 1 year, but it can take say 2 years for your brain to think 'fruit instead of chocolate'. Shocking right? No wonder people give up after like 6months of being healthier, working out, eating less.They probably don't even make it to the 1-2 year mark to let something become a new, healthy habit.

I have a friend who has a daughter. This little girl has always been big, she was big when born early, and has always been off the charts. For the first year or so, it's cute. Then the 2nd year, still kinda cute. But now she just turned 3 and the little girl is wearing 6x. The other day they were over and she changed her top and I could see rolls on her belly. Are rolls still cute at 3? Her Mom says she is a healthy eater and how lucky we are to have a 'healthy eater' too. The Mom and Dad are both bigger, and I know they don't work out. Can't help but think this kid is being setup to learn the wrong habits, health-wise. And the parents probably don't even realize.

I definitely fall prey sometimes to the 'this is easier to feed him' than thinking about what he SHOULD be eating though most of the time I am conscientious. He is still young also, and he's about 30% weight so he's long and lean, and I am just mostly happy he's eating and not being picky, and don't really care what he's shoveling in. But at what age does that change? The first year they just say feed them whatever they'll eat. If they are a picky eater they say the same thing in year 2. I should be GRATEFUL he's a good eater and doesn't take just a few bites a day. But at what point do we start to really watch what he eats and how much of it. It's so hard to know.

I read an article recently about how a lot of little girls are starting with anorexia quite young. The social pressure and the impact is starting younger and younger. There were some 6-7 year olds with anorexia in this article. So you also don't want to go the other way and give your kid anxiety over foods they 'shouldn't' be eating.

All that said I definitely want to set him up for success. As a parent, it's very hard to know what to do and when and the outcome is NEVER guaranteed. You can only do the best you can and keep fingers crossed. But as a parent, I also think it's your job (general you) to become educated on food and what it means to your body--how it fuels your body, what your body does with it. What's necessary vs superfluous. Because even if you don't care what you eat or feel like changing it, you should at least know what it means to your child and teach them. That way when they are older they can make their own decisions.

Oh and also... kids these days move WAY less than my generation. So even if they do eat well or have a great appetite, so many of them are playing video games rather than getting outside, so it's the combination of food+sedentary that is causing the issue IMO.

(edited for spelling)

 

[that_someone_special]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Maybe next we can have a WAR ON ANIMAL OBESITY!

But no, really, I feel like there is always something to obsess and worry about until the new "scare" comes up.

War on Drugs?
War on Terror?
War on AIDS?
War on Cancer?
War on Obesity?

I just wish it wasn't this new "fad" to freak out about and that people just "DID IT".

I don't have kids though, so take it for what it's worth.

Ha! I see your point, but I wouldn't call the childhood obesity epidemic a fad. It's a relatively new public health issue that's related to the way we currently live and the way most parents raise their children. If awareness through all the publicity helps stem it, I won't complain too much!

Honestly, I hope it's not a fad! I just hope that people don't give up too soon and let this issue fade into oblivion like a lot of the other "wars" we have

 

[Kaleigh]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

Mara, I did see Jamie Oliver's show, it floored me..

I will say that You and all the other PS Mommas and Mommie's to be, really have a better idea of how to feed your LO's.

Starting with one solid food, waiting to see if there is an allergy... I could go on and on..

I am trying to say, I think your generation gets this and hopefully we'll see a decline. I know my kids who are 22 and 20 would no more eat crap if ya paid them..

I was the bad one, I didn't know how bad the white bread was, the white pasta..

My house now is all whole grains.,

And no pop tarts, LOL!!!

 

[swingirl]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I was an extremely thin child. I was a "picky" eater but only because my mom was a horrible cook. But because of my light eating habits as a child I realized that kids don't need to eat a lot and will not starve themselves when food is available. In elementary school I remember eating a banana for breakfast, salami sandwich and an apple for lunch (we did not have "snack time") and something like chicken, meatloaf or beef stew for dinner. My mom's idea of dessert was a few stale Lorna Doone shortbread cookies. We weren't poor either. This was just what we ate and there was plenty offered if anyone wanted more.

So when I had kids I did not have a worry that they weren't eating enough. No fretting if they didn't like what I cooked. I cooked a variety for each meal, and there was always something they could fill up on if they didn't like one of the courses. I had no worries if they chose a bowl of cereal over meat because I figured the next meal it would all even out.

Growing up a thin kid, I have to say, I just wasn't that hungry. I ate the things I liked and would rather throw up or go hungry than eat something I didn't like. I wouldn't touch liver, canned peas or fresh water fish. If anyone would have forced me to eat 3 bites I would have refused and held out for days. Luckily my parents were understanding and we never had food wars. My relatives used to make wise cracks all the time about my weight and how my parents must be starving me. (Joke's on them. They are all fat with weight-related health issues)

Parents these days are so confused about what their children should be eating, how much and with what nutritional value. But if you watch some old 1940s-50s movies you'll see many people were quite thin. They weren't movie actors on diets and treadmills, they were just thinner than we are used to seeing because they consumed fewer calories.

 

[partgypsy]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I think we have forgotten a lot of good diet rules that people lived with in the past. Living with our Greek grandma, she had a garden out back and was always cooking up something, often from her garden. And my mother while definitely not into low fat meals, did not consider it a meal unless it had least one vegetable side and usually a salad too. So from my recollection in the "old days" people ate smaller cuts (sometimes more "interesting" kinds) of meat and also ate more vegetables with their meal.

I do have to admit that some of the things I ate when I was a kid I did not like (don't like eggplant and fatty/grisly cuts of meat) but I'm glad my parents raised me the way they did because I think it made me a more accepting eater.

 

[marymm]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I am also disturbed by the level of childhood obesity that now exists. And I agree that its causes are many including poor nutrition and little to no regular exercise. But I am also aware of a startling number of children who are on prescriptions for asthma or for hyperactivity; more often than not, these kids just blow up in size once they've been on these prescriptions for a period of time. While I realize sometimes drugs are necessary and required for children, I wonder why so many more kids seem to have asthma or hyperactivity than did back when I was a child. Sometimes I think all the "advances" we've made are actually setting back our children - food in boxes? prescribing drugs to children on a longterm basis?

And, really, bad food is such a part of most "experiences" - endless popcorn and candy are required at the movies and ballgames and theme parks and so on. It's almost like the (fake) food is the most important part rather than actually watching the movie or the game or enjoying the rides and exhibits. And, yeah, I don't ever see kids playing unless they are at a park or in an organized program - once in a while I see a kid on a bike or a scooter going up the sidewalk. I realize the world has changed and many areas are unsafe or unsuited for play, and many many parents try to find an organized sport or activity that resonates with their child, but I think the lack of imaginative spontaneous outdoor play has also had an effect on kids today and not only physically. I do believe most parents are doing all they can to ensure their children grow up healthy and sound, but kudos to Michelle Obama for putting and keeping childhood obesity on the front burner.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I am also disturbed by the level of childhood obesity that now exists. And I agree that its causes are many including poor nutrition and little to no regular exercise. But I am also aware of a startling number of children who are on prescriptions for asthma or for hyperactivity; more often than not, these kids just blow up in size once they've been on these prescriptions for a period of time. While I realize sometimes drugs are necessary and required for children, I wonder why so many more kids seem to have asthma or hyperactivity than did back when I was a child. Sometimes I think all the "advances" we've made are actually setting back our children - food in boxes? prescribing drugs to children on a longterm basis?

And, really, bad food is such a part of most "experiences" - endless popcorn and candy are required at the movies and ballgames and theme parks and so on. It's almost like the (fake) food is the most important part rather than actually watching the movie or the game or enjoying the rides and exhibits. And, yeah, I don't ever see kids playing unless they are at a park or in an organized program - once in a while I see a kid on a bike or a scooter going up the sidewalk. I realize the world has changed and many areas are unsafe or unsuited for play, and many many parents try to find an organized sport or activity that resonates with their child, but I think the lack of imaginative spontaneous outdoor play has also had an effect on kids today and not only physically. I do believe most parents are doing all they can to ensure their children grow up healthy and sound, but kudos to Michelle Obama for putting and keeping childhood obesity on the front burner.

Re: kids playing outside...today parents are expect to be supervising their kids 100% of the time. About half the parents I know still follow that "rule" now that many of our kids are reaching age 10, but for others, they still will only let their kids outside the yard if a parent is supervising them. Where we lived before, there were certain houses we knew the kids would be safe at and I let my OLDER son go there on his own. My younger still isn't as savvy walking sidewalks and watching for cars. I blame that partly on myself for not teaching him, but also on society, as a whole, for it's paranoia of letting a kid play outside on his/her own and the judgement that follows along with permitting so.

Only ONE mom I know lets her child stay home by himself. She told me she was afraid to tell me b/c *NOBODY* thinks this is okay. In fact, the I only found out about it because the kid locked himself outside the house and told me about it! (He was standing oustide with his scooter.)

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I think we have forgotten a lot of good diet rules that people lived with in the past. Living with our Greek grandma, she had a garden out back and was always cooking up something, often from her garden. And my mother while definitely not into low fat meals, did not consider it a meal unless it had least one vegetable side and usually a salad too. So from my recollection in the "old days" people ate smaller cuts (sometimes more "interesting" kinds) of meat and also ate more vegetables with their meal.

I do have to admit that some of the things I ate when I was a kid I did not like (don't like eggplant and fatty/grisly cuts of meat) but I'm glad my parents raised me the way they did because I think it made me a more accepting eater.

My parents had it in their head to try everything imaginable. They would TORTURE me with eggplant. One time they decided to cook a rabbit! My dad worked 1/2 days on fridays and would go to Pike Place Market (in Seattle) and pick up weird things. Really, it was highly traumatic. hahaha My kids have it so good! Drives me nuts when they complain over homemade chicken & rice soup.

 

[Haven]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I spend a lot of time in the city, and the playgrounds there are crawling with children and parents. It's out in the suburbs where I see all of the sad, empty swings and monkeyless bars. I wonder what makes up for the difference?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Childhood obesity-I'm really starting to see it IS a bat

I spend a lot of time in the city, and the playgrounds there are crawling with children and parents. It's out in the suburbs where I see all of the sad, empty swings and monkeyless bars. I wonder what makes up for the difference?

Most of the moms in the neighborhood my kids go to school (upper-middle class) stay at home and the kids, for the most part, are thin. There is enough $ to buy quality food and the kids do go to the parks, but not alone. We live outside that neigborhood and live in the city (considered the more middle-class part of town - lol) and I see a lot more kids on their own, but I also notice that many of the outdoor, active kids are still heavier. My neighbor brings home frozen dinners, etc., rather than real food and her son DOES go outside more than my boys - that is where I think part of the difference is made.

There was mention of an outdoor garden. One family member of mine had a massive, highly-variable outdoor garden and eats TONS of vegetables. She and her DH also have immense sugar addictions. It was where they would eat 10 servings of veggies and then 10 servings of chocolate, ice cream, etc., each day. Chocolate syrup in coffee, on ice cream, etc. I would get "in trouble" for letting my kids get away without eating veggies with dinner even if I wouldn't let them have the ice cream!