Summertime can be rough for overweight children

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), July, 1994

While most kids look forward to summer and the freedom the season affords, youngsters who are overweight may see it differently. "These children may be more self-conscious and therefore, more sedentary," explains Randall C. Flanery, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of the Eating Disorders Program, St. Louis University School of Medicine. "At a time when children need exercise and activity the most, they withdraw. It can be miserable for them."

Researchers estimate that 25% of American youngsters are above an ideal body weight. Nevertheless, Flanery maintains that overweight children should not be put on diets. "It's dangerous to put a child on a restrictive diet because it could interfere with growth." He offers the following tips for parents of children who are overweight:

* Although you shouldn't put your offspring on a diet, you can select the food brought into the house. Replace potato chips with pretzels or carrot sticks. Choose items that are lower in fat. Remember, the eating habits kids develop now will characterize habits for the rest of their lives.

* Set an example. Urging youngsters to be active while you're sitting in an overstuffed chair getting overstuffed isn't very effective. Take a walk or develop a hobby together. It not only keeps children active, it helps build relationships. And by all means, turn off the television set!

* Focus on helping kids feel good about themselves. If you constantly draw attention to the food they're eating, it says to them: "You don't look right. You don't fit in." This is demoralizing and devastating to self-esteem. Let children know they have other qualities that make them attractive, such as a sense of humor or intelligence.

* On a related note, be careful of what you tell overweight youngsters. It's not unusual to hear parents say, "If you keep eating like that you might not get asked to dances" or "Isn't she cute? Don't you wish you looked like her?" Until children reach early adolescence, they do not have the cognitive ability to understand that watching what you eat today means you'll be better off tomorrow. They can not make the connection.

* Don't force overweight kids into uncomfortable situations. For example, if a child wants to swim, but is embarrassed about removing the T-shirt covering his or her swimsuit, don't insist that it be taken off. The most important thing is that he or she is active.

* Know the warning signs of an eating disorder in youngsters. They may become preoccupied with food. Some will adopt odd preferences, such as eating only foods of a particular color. They may make disparaging comments about their bodies.

* Don't wait to get help. Parents may deny their offspring have a weight or image problem. Some feel guilty and responsible. Either way, a lot of heartache can be prevented if professional help is sought early. An adult with an eating disorder almost certainly was worried about weight and eating as a child or adolescent.