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Parental influence

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2004

In a survey conducted to gauge the influence of parents on their children's obesity factors, specifically physical activity levels and eating behaviors, 127 parents of second-, third- and fourth-graders answered questions to determine whether they recognized obesity factors in their children and could correctly classify their child's weight status. Survey results showed

* 79 percent of overweight parents had overweight children;

* 30 percent of normal-weight parents had overweight children;

* most parents classified their children's weight correctly;

* most parents who classified their children's weight incorrectly thought their overweight child was normal weight;

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* children modeled the eating and activity behavior of their parents;

* overweight parents reported their children ate more snacks and high-calorie foods than normal-weight children.

"The issue here is that parents are failing to recognize the fact that they model eating and exercise behavior to their children even though they see their children as overweight for the most part," says Betsy A. Keller, Ph.D. "We know parents can be both the instigator and solution to the childhood obesity problem." After all, as Keller points out, "parents go to the supermarket and buy the food and determine how long the television should be on. If they can be reminded and recognize their role and responsibility, it may lead to kids avoiding common obesity factors, like getting no exercise and eating too much junk food. We need to do more work to better understand to what extent parents might influence their kids, and how much of that is wrapped up in how they feel about themselves."

Parental influence

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2004

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