Jan 17, Parents of Obese Children

Parents of obese children are often overweight or obese themselves. In fact having one or more obese parent is considered an early indicator of childhood obesity.

Even if they are not obese and maintain normal weight, parents are under a lot of societal pressure to deal with their childrens weight issues. There have even been radical calls for punishing parents who allow their children to become obese. Of course, these kinds of responses to the problem do not present useful solutions, and only cause more intense emotional responses.

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Obesity can be the result of more than just nutrition. Obesity can be the result of one or more factors, including poor nutrition, lack of exercise, an inherited propensity to gain weight, and growth problems.

The first step that parents should take is to have the child examined by a doctor to make sure there are not health issues involved other than poor nutrition. If the child is obese strictly due to eating the wrong kinds of foods, it is time for the parents to begin changing the family lifestyle.

Clearing Out the Pantry

Nutrition is, quite simply, a family affair. If you open the pantry and find it loaded with junk food like chips, candy bars and cookies, then it isn't hard to understand why the children are eating the wrong snack foods. Unhealthy snacking is one of the main culprits when it comes to the causes of childhood obesity. If meals are eaten on the run, or at fast food restaurants, the children come to believe this is a normal dietary lifestyle.

Parents can teach children how to lose weight in a healthy manner by making several changes in the family lifestyles. First, the pantry needs to be cleaned out and refilled with only healthy foods. There should be easy access to fruit and low-fat and low-sugar snacks. Parents need to change their eating habits to match their children's. They can change with the child by cooking balanced meals, eating as a family , limiting junk food forages, and losing excess weight.

In addition, parents of obese children can pack healthy school lunches. At school obese children are often bullied and teased, which causes self-esteem problems. Sending your children to school with a healthy lunch sends a message that the child is dealing with his or her weight problem. It gives a sense of control over their life that is important for maintaining self-esteem.

Exercising as a Family

In addition to changing eating patterns, parents of obese children also need to help their children increase their activity levels. The best way to begin this program is to do physical activities together as a family. For example the family can take a walk together after dinner each evening. Some families purchase a family membership at the gym and attend together on a regular basis.

Parents of obese children need to make sure they are setting the right example by living a healthy lifestyle themselves.

For more parenting advice visit my friend Helen's site:

Consistent Parenting Advice Discover the simple but profound difference clear, firm and consistent parenting will bring to your family. Learn how to enhance your children's happiness and self esteem while developing your own emotional maturity as parents.

Learn more about developing good eating habits and making lifestyle changes as a family.

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What Other Visitors Have Said

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Highly Intelligent 16 Year Old 
Our son is such a great kid..he does not get into the typical trouble that most teens do (so far) but he is addicted to his computer game and driving his ...

She Has To Go Back To School  Not rated yet
My daughter, Kayla, is 14 years old, weighs about 220 lbs, and she has to go back to school. My mother was very obese, but no one in our home (me, my ...

My Daughter Is Obese And Getting Worse  Not rated yet
I am concerned because my daughter is obese and getting worse. Her mother doesn't seem to be helping much or even trying to help prevent the weight gain....

Punishing Parents For Obese Children  Not rated yet
My wife and I have read articles about people who want to punish parents for obese children. We have one son who is categorized as obese and one son who ...

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Jan 17, Fast Food Advertising To Children

Over 10 billion dollars is spent on fast food advertising to children annually in numerous fashions. The majority of these ads are for food and drink that is high in fat, sugar, calories, salt and low in nutrients. Its not as much the advertisement itself as much as it is the tactic used to entice our children to want their product. The most obvious media venue is television advertisement. The marketing gurus know how to get into childrens heads and how to get their most wanted response. They know that children can and do influence their parents when it comes to food purchases.

On an average children view over 40,000 commercials a year most of which are for candies, cereals, toys, and fast food. Fast food advertising to children is not only limited to fast food restaurants. If it is fast and it is food then it is fast food.

Its fair to say that fast food advertising is big business. Additionally, trying to curtail children from television viewing is a daunting task particularly since many kids have televisions in their bedrooms.

The methods used for advertisement are within the norm for advertising. Businesses spend money to get their product noticed by what should be their target audience. In other words, you'd be hard pressed to find an advertisement on 60 Minutes for Cocoa Krispies just like you'd be hard pressed to find an advertisement on the Nickelodeon Channel for T.D.Waterhouse.

Sneaky Tactics

Children today have more purchasing power, they are the consumers of tomorrow, and because they do influence their parents on purchases it opens a whole new audience for marketers.

Children are much more vocal than they used to be and they are not afraid to speak up when they want something. Advertisers call this Pester Power. I call it nagging.

In other words, kids aren't afraid to kick and scream to get their parents to buy something. Fast food advertising to children is all about Pester Power and marketers rely on children to nag the parents rather than market to the parents directly. They know that marketing to children will net higher results.

Marketers break Pester Power down into 2 categories. Persistence nagging and importance nagging.

Persistence nagging is begging repeatedly . Importance nagging, on the other hand, is what marketers rely on. This is all about parents providing for their children and the guilt that comes with it when parents are not available enough for their kids.

There are many tactics used in fast food advertising to children such as toys included with meals and monopoly game pieces. Fast food businesses will claim that this is to provide a more pleasant visit to their store for the parents but in reality it's baiting children to desire fast food.

Internet And Viral Marketing

Fast food advertising to children is not only limited to television. The internet; which is more cost effective and viral marketing have also become advertising avenues.

Internet marketers know how kids use the net and how popular sites such as MySpace and Facebook are. They also know that children love to click on links. If it says click here - they do. Many websites offer free ring tones and music downloads. In order to get the freebie an e-mail address is required and thus cross promotion campaigns begin creating fast food advertisement to children via e-mail marketing.

We can't stop fast food advertising to children but we can control the television viewing time. Less time in front of the television as a family could reduce the pestering for fast food and create a more nutritious and healthy family environment.

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Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it. Sam Ewing

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Jan 17, Eating Disorders In Children

It is a disturbing fact that eating disorders in children, such as anorexia, has been diagnosed in children as young as four. The development of Anorexia usually appears during the teen years and affects mostly girls who generally have less body fat than boys. Eating disorders can slow down their growth, puberty, and in girls their breast development.

Children's eating habits, lifestyles, and body image are formed early in life through the attitudes of their parents. When parents have issues with body image and weight gain their children are at higher risk of developing anorexia nervosa because young children like to imitate their parents. Studies have shown that children with anorexic mothers were more depressed, cranky, and had poor attitudes towards food by the tender age of five. However, parents who have open lines of communication and are educated on child development can have an impact on preventing eating disorders in children.

Steps For Making Positive Changes

Take your child to the family doctor to determine if there is any medical or psychological illnesses.
Make changes in the family eating habits and expect everyone to participate. This means three healthy meals a day, eat as a family, and provide only healthy snacks. Be a positive role model.
Never miss any meals.
Take advantage of spending quality time with your children.
Become more conscious of your own eating habits, body image, and weight control attitudes.
Prepare meals with portion control in mind. This will help to eliminate the request to eat their entire meal.
Refrain from being critical about your child's weight.
Know how your child responds to your comments about their weight issues and how it affects their behavior.
Keep the lines of communication open and encourage your child to speak freely about their feelings.

The treatment for eating disorders should start by getting professional help. In the event that it is a family problem getting treatment as a group will greatly increase the success. Family participation makes it easier to adjust to lifestyle changes.

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Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it. Sam Ewing

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Jan 17, Overweight Children

Overweight children experience many health related issues while still young, and even more as adults. It's a well documented fact that children who are overweight or obese are much more likely to become overweight or obese adults. But children who are too heavy according to the body mass index (BMI) formula need to lose weight in childhood, and not wait until they are grown.

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At one time it was generally believed that children should not have to go on a "diet" and lose weight. The common saying was, "He/She still has baby fat." But a child that has too much body fat, according to their height and body type, is not carrying baby fat. The child is overweight and likely to suffer the consequences that attend excess weight.

Children that are overweight or obese often experience both physical and psychological effects, as a matter of fact. Though parents love their children equally, it's not unusual for them to discover they need to soothe hurt feelings and rebuild damaged self-esteem more often in their overweight children. Unfortunately the world can be quite cruel to those children who are overweight, because other children can be critical and even verbally abusive.

Fast Track to Weight Gain

Children whose BMI is over the 95th percentile for their age group are considered to be overweight. When a child is determined to be overweight, it's time for the parents to begin a weight loss program. Children, like adults, should not be put on a "diet" per se. Instead, the best way to lose weight is through a program that combines healthy eating habits and increased activity.

One of the main causes of childhood obesity is fast food. A single meal from a hamburger restaurant chain can equal more than a whole day's supply of calories. Aggravating the situation is the fact that most of the calories are unhealthy. French fries, milk shakes and fried apple pies are sure to put weight on anyone. There are also vending machines everywhere full of fat and sugar loaded snacks.

Poor diets at home and at school have contributed to children becoming overweight also. Quick fix prepared meals served on the run are a formula for weight gain. Many children spend their hours before and after dinner sitting before a computer or using hand held electronic devices designed to play games. Afternoon sports events and impromptu games with friends at the local parks are becoming more and more infrequent.

Helping overweight children lose their excess pounds requires lifestyle changes. Parents should work closely with their children to teach them about healthy food choices. They should find ways to increase their kids' physical activity. Parents should also serve as role models by maintaining a healthy weight and living a healthy lifestyle.

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What Other Visitors Have Said

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My name is Austin. I'm from a small town in the middle of Illinois. And there are many obese children around here.

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My child is huge, in my eyes, about 5 years old and he is very fat.
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As a believer who takes herbal products and has experienced the great health benefits for which they are all about, I would like to share with people that ...

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I am a bit ashamed but have to admit that I am one of those who gave the "it's just baby fat" excuse.

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Subscribe to my e-zine ?Our Children - Our Future? and receive a free e-book ?The Secrets Of Successful Long-Term Weight Control.? The download is available on the e-zine confirmation page. We love getting feedback about your visit. post your comments here.

Return to Home Page from "Overweight Children" Home | About Me | RSS/Blog | Contact Us?2008-2011 Help Cure Child Obesity - All Rights Reserved

Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it. Sam Ewing

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