Overweight children need help and advice from their parents

By Clare E. Urwin

SURABAYA (JP): Children are sometimes amazingly cruel to each other. They find it perfectly normal to tease, laugh at, or isolate, anyone in their group who is different. An overweight child can have a very hard time throughout school life and beyond. Being too fat often causes real misery and distress.

It's a myth that children can eat anything and stay healthy while they are still growing, just because they naturally enjoy running around and being active. Childhood obesity is a problem that is rapidly increasing as our cultures become more affluent. In the United States, one in four children are now overweight.

Heavy children can be at risk from wide-ranging health complaints. These include diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis and skeletal problems in hips and legs. Additionally, studies reveal that overweight children have an 80 percent chance of becoming overweight adolescents and adults. Both stages bringing their own social difficulties and health problems.

These rather grim statistics are intended to inform and not to unduly alarm or depress. Today, parents are bombarded enough by so called experts, telling them what they should or should not do for their child's health. At times, this advice seems contradictory too. Unsurprisingly, many concerned Mothers and Fathers often wonder if these "professionals" actually have any children of their own!

For instance, with a portly child, one dilemma is knowing what to do for the best. If you restrict their food intake to help weight reduction, will you be depriving them of essential nutrients during their important developing years? A second dilemma is what about the modern obsession with body image? How and why does an interest in losing weight sometimes start a preoccupation with slimming, which can lead to anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders? Especially for young girls.

Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. Apart for some very rare medical problems, the most common causes are genetic factors, unhealthy eating patterns, a lack of physical activity or a combination of these things. In other words, many modern children copy the bad habits of their unhealthy parents, eat junk food, become couch potatoes and expect to be driven everywhere!

The increased popularity of computer and video games mean children spend even less time doing any physical exercise. They also watch a great deal of television. Let's face it, the TV is a wonderful baby sitter. It can keep the children quiet and amused for hours. However, limiting the television is one of the best things you can do for preventing and treating childhood obesity.

Studies show a strong link between TV viewing time and children becoming overweight. This association works in four different ways. Initially, looking at a television actually decreases the metabolic rate. In fact, strange as it sounds, a child will burn more calories just sitting still, or reading a book, than he or she will while watching that screen!

Secondly, commercials for food products; typically unhealthy high fat, high sugar ones, such as candy, drinks and cookies, are heavily advertised on children's television programs. Naturally, and because advertising usually works, most children will want and ask for such foods.

Time spent watching TV is often accompanied by snacking, nibbling or drinking something, which eventually results in an increased calorie consumption. Finally, food is frequently consumed by the television characters, few of whom are overweight. This can convey the message that constant eating is not associated with getting fat.

Without appearing over-anxious about your child being overweight, it is more sensible to do something about this problem in the early stages. Some action should be taken, in a relaxed but concerned way, rather than leaving things as they are and hoping he or she will "grow out of it". Being overweight at any age is not a benign condition.

One of the most important things a parent can do, is to let their child know that they think they are terrific anyway, at whatever weight. Children's feelings about themselves depend on their parents' reactions towards them. Self esteem (or the lack of it) develops at a very early age. Be supportive and never criticize or blame the child for being too fat.

Overweight children need reassurance and encouragement from their parents. For instance they may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about playing certain sports. Help them find some physical activity that they enjoy, and one that's not too difficult for them. Why not make it a family affair and all have fun by swimming, walking or playing games together?

Regular exercise, combined with healthy eating habits is the most efficient way of weight control. At any age! Diet therapy on its own is ineffective. Losing weight is the easy part. Keeping it off requires lifestyle changes. Unfortunately there is no magic fix, even for children. Permanent success depends on a combination of diet, exercise, education and behavior modification.

Reducing the amount of fat in the whole family's diet is a good way to prevent excess weight gain in children without depriving them of nutrients. However, it must be stressed that fat should never be restricted in the diets of children younger than two years of age. Make a wide variety of healthy foods available in the house and don't keep empty calorie snacks. This practice will help your child learn to make good food choices.

A few small modifications in the family routine can make a big difference too. Don't continually "snack" or encourage eating while doing other things like watching TV, playing board games or reading. Try to eat only in designated areas of your home such as the kitchen or dining room.

Have "family meals" as much as possible and encourage your child to eat slowly so that he or she can learn to enjoy good food. Watch the amount of fruit juice consumed and always have a plentiful supply of water available. Leftovers should be removed from the table immediately and second servings limited. Try not to use food to reward or punish children. Neither should they be coaxed into eating everything on their plates.

Family involvement helps teach good habits to all and doesn't single out the overweight child. Get everyone committed. At home, they can all help by minimizing TV time, maximizing physical activities and by setting a good example of healthy eating themselves.

Develop a concerned, though fairly laid back attitude to the problem of your overweight child. Reaching an appropriate body weight is important, but be realistic about the goals. Small permanent changes in eating, fitness and lifestyle habits work much better than big unsustainable ones. Good luck!

The writer, (clareu@attglobal.net), is a nutritionist and health advisor based in Surabaya.