Fighting fat…
Despite almost constant headlines about the obesity epidemic it seems many parents whose children are overweight just don’t see it.
Around 35% of children are thought to be either obese or overweight – and it could be because parents are in denial about it. Recent studies suggest that parents of overweight and obese children don’t perceive their child as being excessively heavy and that where they do recognize that a problem may exist, they believe their child will outgrow it.
Parents often feel they can’t win: while most agree that childhood obesity is a major issue, they are constantly told that they shouldn’t focus on weight for fear of damaging their child’s body image and self-esteem
Research from the University of Michigan C S Mott Children’s Hospital showed that over 40% of parents with obese children ages 6 to 11 years described their child not as obese, but as ‘about the right weight’. Only 13% of parents with obese children this age rated their child as being very overweight and less than 10% said they were ‘very concerned’ about their child’s weight.
This parental denial is alarming many health experts, who point out that excess weight in childhood increases the risk of asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and other health issues that used to be restricted to adults. They fear that if parents fail to accept that their children are overweight or obese, they may be less inclined to intervene to modify their children’s diet and activity levels.
“It’s critical to address obesity in the childhood years – at home, and in schools and other community settings,” said Dr Matthew M Davis, director of the hospital’s National Poll on Children’s Health. “But in order to address childhood obesity at home, parents must first recognize that a child isn’t at a healthy weight for their height. Parents also must be concerned enough to want to do something about their children’s obesity.”
Parents who don’t recognize obesity may not take the appropriate steps to help their children lead a healthier lifestyle
Recognition that a child is overweight is a critical first step to making diet and lifestyle changes to promote weight loss but one problem facing parents is that it can be difficult to judge their child’s weight: many of them may see extra pounds as puppy fat that will be shed as their child grows. Another important factor is that while most parents agree that childhood obesity is a major issue, they are constantly told that they shouldn’t focus on weight for fear of damaging their child’s body image and self-esteem and kick starting an eating disorder. And the fact that parents are often overweight themselves may also lead to misperception over their child’s weight – as well as a subconscious refusal to admit their own lifestyle is impacting on their child’s health and wellbeing.
Fortunately, health care providers can play an important role in helping parents to recognize obesity, and take steps to modify a child’s diet and activity levels. The National Poll on Children’s Health found that 84% of parents believe it’s very important for doctors to address obesity with obese adolescents during routine check-ups. “Parents’ willingness to discuss obesity at their children’s medical appointments indicates that many parents view doctors as a welcome source of information about obesity interventions for children,” said Dr Davis.