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

[swingirl]

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

Whether it's too much sugar, fat, not enough exercise, video games or whatever, bottom line——more calories are going in than used. I grew up in the 1950s. We were not all running around outside all day long. I spent a lot of time drawing, reading, playing indoors. No one played organized sports. But we ate less and we ate real food. I am amazed at the parents that say their kids love McDonalds. Why on earth do they even know what McDonalds taste like? Why do these kids think that a soda is a treat? It's because the parents BUY it for them, eat it themselves and TELL them this is a special treat. Ding ding ding. If you don't want your kids to like it, then don't fed it to them and don't eat it yourself.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

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

Whether it's too much sugar, fat, not enough exercise, video games or whatever, bottom line——more calories are going in than used. I grew up in the 1950s. We were not all running around outside all day long. I spent a lot of time drawing, reading, playing indoors. No one played organized sports. But we ate less and we ate real food. I am amazed at the parents that say their kids love McDonalds. Why on earth do they even know what McDonalds taste like? Why do these kids think that a soda is a treat? It's because the parents BUY it for them, eat it themselves and TELL them this is a special treat. Ding ding ding. If you don't want your kids to like it, then don't fed it to them and don't eat it yourself.

Kids WILL be exposed to soda either way... NONE of the parents my kids play with serve soda to them except at b-day parties and special events so regardless of what I teach them at home, they have learned that soda and certain events go hand-in-hand and that they are treats. There is no way I'd embarrass my kids by saying you can't have rootbeer at so-and-so's b-day party...wouldn't happen.

 

[MonkeyPie]

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

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.

I see kids outside a lot here, but I live in a good neighborhood where it's ok to let your kids be outside without you hovering. So many parts of the US are NOT ok for this - kidnapping is common and real and it's frightening. I know I'm going to be a hovering mom for a long time until I know my kids will scream or run at the very least.

Also, yes, going to baseball games does seem to require bad food. I will admit that french fries and a humongous hot dog are totally on my list when I go. But I also don't do that every day - maybe once or twice a year. I never buy stuff at movies because it is expensive as heck and a waste of money.

I think treats are fine, if they remain treats.

 

[Jennifer W]

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

My parents took me to plenty sports events, theatres, concerts, cinemas, all sorts of activities that seem to require food as an integral part. They stuffed me full of a meal at home before we went and affected not to notice the food on sale when we got there. I never gave it a second thought, because it was never part of the ritual for us. On the odd time I asked, my mother just said it was for other people, and I accepted that. I'm going to do the same with Amelia, the point being that it isn't denying her a treat so much as making the food available appear not to be a treat at all. Here's hoping she's as gullible as I was and it works...

 

[elrohwen]

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

My parents took me to plenty sports events, theatres, concerts, cinemas, all sorts of activities that seem to require food as an integral part. They stuffed me full of a meal at home before we went and affected not to notice the food on sale when we got there. I never gave it a second thought, because it was never part of the ritual for us. On the odd time I asked, my mother just said it was for other people, and I accepted that. I'm going to do the same with Amelia, the point being that it isn't denying her a treat so much as making the food available appear not to be a treat at all. Here's hoping she's as gullible as I was and it works...

My parents did the same! To this day I don't even like having popcorn or candy at the movies because it just doesn't seem part of my ritual. I think it's a great idea to do with kids. Plus, it will save you money (and them, in adult life). Win-win!

 

[Jennifer W]

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

They always had food with them too - as much fruit as you could eat! My parents were pretty good about food, and any weight gain in later life is not their responsibility at all! My mother did (does) think that you should butter all hot vegetables, but other than that, she was good with food.

I suddenly remembered in the middle of the night something I was meaning to post here, btw. I don't get out much... Anyway, what I was going to say but forgot was about junk food and young kids. I think it was one of the people who founded McDonalds who said that if you gave them a child before age three, they'd have them for life (I'm paraphrasing, I can't remember exactly how it went). The implication being give children a taste for junk at a young enough age and they'll want it forever. From my (vague) recollection of developmental psychology classes, taste preferences are set fairly young.

 

[Autumnovember]

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

Bella--DH and I watch the Ironman World Championship on ESPN together every year because it is so motivating and helps us get through the winter slumps. This year, they profiled an 80 year old man who was running in his 21st Kona Ironman. (Or was it his 31st?) This means that he qualified for Kona in *another* triathlon event for all of those years! This guy was amazing. He gave us the most motivation to stay healthy, and two things he said have stuck with me:

1) When asked how long he plans to live, he said that he'd already made it 80 years, and he still feels great, so he's planning on being around for at least 120. This seemed so profound, because his plan to live another 40 years means that every choice he makes in life is based on the assumption that he needs his body to be healthy for another 40 years. This sounds so elementary when I type it out right now, but it really clicked with me and changed the way I look at things like skipping a workout or choosing a bad meal over a healthy one.

2) When asked about his secret to staying healthy, he said a) He never eats something unless he can identify everything that's in it, and b) He gets in a cardio workout every day, and pushes himself just to the point of failure when he just can't go any longer.

I think it's wonderful that you're trying to get healthy, and if you can get your hands on this year's Ironman broadcast, I think you'd find it really inspiring.

Oh, and he finished within the time limits, by the way! 21 years in a row, isn't that amazing?

Edited to add commentary to #1.

Haven, was the 80 year old man in the Phoenix, AZ iron man? If so, we got to watch that in person...so amazing!

 

[VRBeauty]

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

Why do these kids think that a soda is a treat? It's because the parents BUY it for them, eat it themselves and TELL them this is a special treat. Ding ding ding. If you don't want your kids to like it, then don't fed it to them and don't eat it yourself.

Frankly, seeing soda as a treat seems better than what I see around me... many adults who see soda but as an acceptable drink option with a meal lunch or an acceptable way to get liquids. So what if their soda of choice is "sugar free"? The message it sends to kids is that soda is, not milk or water, is what you drink with meals.

 

[Jennifer W]

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

Don't get me started on children drinking soda.

Why do people want to pour soda into my child? I don't try to get theirs to drink water. Even my mother tries to give her sugary drinks. Why? I mean, what possible benefit can a two year old derive from caramel, sugar syrup, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, phosphoric acid, lime extract, flavoring mixture, vanilla and glycerin (reading from the back of a can I found tossed over our garden fence).

 

[swingirl]

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

I still believe your kids are more influenced by the things you do and say at home than they are by others. They'll be exposed to a lot of things in other people's homes but they'll still know what is acceptable at their own house. By the time they are teenagers they will see a lot of adult crappy behavior but they are more likely to model themselves after their own parents. So just because little Johnny gets junk food at gramma's house or soda at their bf's, it doesn't mean the war is lost. If they know your opinion of the junk they'll learn not to ask for it because it ain't happening.

When my kids were teenagers they had quite a few friend's parents who thought it was okay to offer alcohol to minors. You always get the parents who say, "In Europe everybody drinks" or "They're going to drink anyways. It might as well be at home". My kids knew that their parents were hard and fast on 21 being the drinking age no matter where they were. I don't know if they ever drank with those adults but if they did they certainly didn't feel good about it.

I ate at a family restaurant the other day and noticed every single child was drinking soda or lemonade. Not one kid had a glass of milk. My husband and I were talking about it because he loves milk with meals. There was a recent study done that showed (or was trying to show) that whole milk is a better choice that non- or low-fat for kids because it is more filling. But not one single parent ordered milk of any kind for their children. I wonder if it was even on the menu. That is quite a change from all the slim kids in the 50's who had whole milk with every meal. I wonder if there is some correlation.

 

[Dreamer_D]

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

If the family eats healthily and none of the other family members are overweight, do you end up with truly overweight kids?

 

[AGBF]

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

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.

Amen. My daughter was naturally quite thin. She was always the tallest child in her grade, and skinny. Then-at around age 12- she stopped growing. She was probably close to the height she is now (5' 5"), but I apparently said something negative to her about her weight. (She has a very round face, and even when she is thin, her face starts to look round as soon as she stops being skinny.)

I advertently seem to have set off anorexia (I in conjunction with all the rest of the societal and school pressures) and it has taken until this year-she is 18-for her to stop struggling with it. Sometimes her weight dipped down into the 90's!!! I used to watch the bones in her her hips and her ribs and collarbone area protrude more and more each week. So now, when she is looking a little curvy, I keep my mouth shut!!! She is and always has been a very healthy eater. She dances, so she gets exercise. In her case, at least, anorexia has been far more of a danger than obesity ever was!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[Haven]

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

If the family eats healthily and none of the other family members are overweight, do you end up with truly overweight kids?

I've never seen this happen.

 

[MonkeyPie]

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

If the family eats healthily and none of the other family members are overweight, do you end up with truly overweight kids?

I've never seen this happen.

I have. It's called overindulgence, and a lack of discipline. Anything the kid wants they get.

 

[Haven]

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

MP--I've definitely seen families that overindulge their children and lack discipline. DH and I have been talking about moving when we have kids because those two things seem to be rampant in this lovely, yet bizarre town we live in.

I meant that I've never seen a truly healthy family, with parents who eat healthy and live healthy lifestyles, have children who are overweight.

I see a lot of overweight parents with overweight children, though. As a teacher you get to see strange correlations like this. I'm not saying correlation equals causation, it's just something I've noticed over the years.

 

[Haven]

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

Haven, was the 80 year old man in the Phoenix, AZ iron man? If so, we got to watch that in person...so amazing!

AN--His name is Lew Hollander. We just watched Kona again, but it didn't say where he lives.
He has a website, though:
http://www.lewhollander.com/index.htm

Earlier, I misquoted his two rules by which he lives and credits his extended good health. He said:
1-I never eat anything that I can't see the parts to. Like hotdogs and such.
2-I go anaerobic every day.

 

[Jennifer W]

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

MP--I've definitely seen families that overindulge their children and lack discipline. DH and I have been talking about moving when we have kids because those two things seem to be rampant in this lovely, yet bizarre town we live in.

I meant that I've never seen a truly healthy family, with parents who eat healthy and live healthy lifestyles, have children who are overweight.

I see a lot of overweight parents with overweight children, though. As a teacher you get to see strange correlations like this. I'm not saying correlation equals causation, it's just something I've noticed over the years.

Actually, I've seen a few. When I first graduated I worked briefly as an assistant psychologist in a clinic that specialised in eating disorders. I saw a surprising number of families with intelligent parents who understood how to keep themselves healthy yet managed to raise obese children, to the point where they needed professional help. With most of them, it was about indulgence. A complete inability to refuse their children anything, coupled with a serious underestimate of how much the children actually consumed each day. I think TGal mentioned in a previous thread that parents can be unable to see the situation clearly, too - "he's just big boned" in response to a Dr's advice that a toddler was overweight. It isn't the norm, but it does happen.

 

[iLander]

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

Didn't read all the posts, did we already cover heredity?

When I was growing up, I got no snacks. Soda was occasional. I used to eat handfuls of raw oatmeal as a snack. No chips, etc. I am a size 4 and have been forever.

My son and daughter got whatever they wanted. All the soda, chips, candy, whatever they wanted. We used to go on treat runs to the store, and buy donuts, cake, etc. Still do. Don't worry, these are for after a balanced meal, which covers all the food groups.

DS is 6 feet tall, weighs 140 lbs. DD is a size 2.

I come from a long line of skinny people. My grandfather was so thin, that he avoided being shot during WWII by standing behind a tree. My father is skinny. My uncles are skinny. None of us are the least bit athletic.

So, I think hereditary factors are a HUGE part of this.

But here is the interesting part: my DD was getting fat in elementary school, a little chubby. I was always suspicious of bovine growth hormone, especially in school milk. So I started sending her to school with organic milk. A year later, she was down 5 lbs, got about an inch taller and she was no longer chunky. We switched to all organic meat. Like I said, she's a size 2.

I think the growth hormones are huge factors in childhood obesity. A cow used to take 5 years to reach a mature size for market. Now it takes less than 2. How exactly do you think this is happening?