Are you making your kids fat?

Jet, Nov 3, 2003

It's a matter of some gravity. The growing epidemic of childhood obesity is in the national spotlight. Our children are gaining more weight due to the foods they eat and their sedentary lifestyles. Studies, statistics and media outlets indicate that the number of overweight children has doubled in just the last two decades. And the situation is getting worse.

The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has nearly tripled since 1983, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent (almost 9 million) are overweight, according to the 1999-2000 data. In addition, over 10 percent of younger preschool children between ages 2 and 5 are overweight, up from 7 percent in 1994.

As obesity becomes increasingly common among today's children and adolescents, the associated chronic conditions and illnesses that were once found only among adults begin to emerge in the pediatric population, and has forced pediatricians to focus more on preventing and managing overweight children, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Genetics aside, it's a known fact that children generally learn their behavior from their parents, so, if your child is overweight or obese, are you making your kids fat?

Well, yes and no, according to Chicago-area pediatrician Dr. Alveta Clark, who says the advent of technology, the decrease of safety in urban areas, and sometimes parents themselves contribute to making our kids fat.

"If you look at urban children, often both parents are working, and frequently parents do not want their children staying outside if they are not there to supervise from a safety standpoint, so the kids are kind of cooped up indoors. When [I was] growing up that didn't happen; you came home from school, you dropped your books and you ran back outside to play," states Clark.

"But nowadays parents in urban areas are very concerned about their children's safety. So, the kids are stuck indoors and they spend too much time in front of the television with video games or the computer, because what else are they going to do inside? While [TV and computers] are good and useful and helpful, they need to be put into perspective of the child's whole life. And an additional factor is that many schools have minimal amounts of time, and dollars, in their physical education curriculum.

It's these type of situations that play a part in the epidemic of obesity that affects our children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

"It's been an insidious kind of thing over the last 30 years," says Clark. "Our eating habits came from a rural kind of life where we got up with the sun and worked in the fields. Doing physical labor, we needed to eat a big meal in order to support that. But now there has been a decrease in our activities, but not a decrease in our calories. The physical labor is gone, but the big meal is still here."

Chronically overweight kids are at increased risk for physical ailments, such as type II diabetes, which sets a child up for hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, and breathing problems, according to the National Health Statistics.

If your child is overweight, there are measures that can be taken with a pediatrician to get him or her back to a manageable weight. However, it's important to keep in mind that overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably realizes the problem better than anyone. Focus on your child's health and positive qualities.

Focus on gradually changing your family's physical activity and eating habits. Be a good role model for your child. If your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to do the same now and for the rest of his or her life.

"The parents should set the example," Clark exclaims. "They should encourage their children to do more physical activities, but it's much better if the kids do it with them. Go for a family walk after dinner, a family bike ride, or family swim night. Instead of nagging the kids to do it, go with them. Kids love that kind of time with their parents."

And remember, overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming obese adults. "One of the most significant concerns from a public health perspective is that we know a lot of children who are overweight grow up to be overweight or obese adults, and thus at greater risk for some major health problems such as heart disease and diabetes," said CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding. "One critical answer to this problem is that we all must work together to help our children make physical activity a life-long habit."

RELATED ARTICLE: What to do if your child is overweight.

Your child's diet should be safe and nutritious. It should include all of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein and contain the foods from the major Food Guide Pyramid groups.