Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CANYON COUNTRY, Calif. — Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta recently launched an ad campaign against childhood obesity that raised eyebrows across the nation. In heart-breaking commercials, overweight children tell it like it is.
Critics of this campaign complain that using a word like “fat” is too harsh. Others have praised how the ads don't sugar coat the problem and cut straight to the heart of the matter. Both camps raise an important question: If your child has a weight problem, what’s the best way to address it?
Broaching the subject
Parents often walk a fine line when it comes to discussing weight, wanting to get their point across while sparing their child’s feelings. But the main responsibility of a parent is to care for the well-being of their children, and obesity comes with an array of medical problems as well as emotional hardships. It’s important to address your child’s health, rather than avoid the subject or give excuses for their weight gain.
The main responsibility of a parent is to care for the well-being of their children, and obesity comes with an array of medical problems as well as emotional hardships.
Dr. Chad D. Jensen is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Brigham Young University, and suggests taking a straightforward but caring approach with your child.
“Rather than focusing exclusively on weight, parents should discuss the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, including eating nutritious foods and being physically active. Weight loss should not necessarily be the focus of the discussion,” Jensen suggests. And parents should practice what they preach. "Parents should always remember that what you do has more impact than what you say," Jensen said.
It’s also a good idea to get your child’s health care provider involved. Dr. Matt Cornish, a pediatrician at Utah Valley Pediatrics, believes family support is key to getting kids healthy.
"My patients who have successfully reversed Type 2 diabetes have all approached the problem as a family. Family support is critical, and until all involved are ready to actively work on the problem it's difficult to succeed," Cornish said.
"The approach I use with many of my patients is to start with food diaries and identification of areas of specific concern. We screen for metabolic and genetic factors. From there, I encourage families to set attainable, permanent monthly goals. Some examples of beneficial changes include limiting screen time, substituting lower calorie foods, addressing psychological stressors, and working on parental nutrition first. I would encourage families to pursue qualified advice until they have a plan that will work best for them," Cornish said.
Changing your family’s eating plan
Your child won’t eat junk food at home if you don’t buy it. It sounds simple enough, but changing up the food you throw in your grocery cart may be the first step to weight loss and better health for your child.
It sounds like a daunting task, and it very well may be initially, but the reward is a healthier child and family. Melissa Wilbur Ballard, a nutrition educator who teaches in K-12 settings through a grant from the Reverse Obesity campaign, suggests changing your family’s eating plan rather than initiating a “diet”.
The word ‘diet' insinuates limiting food. When you build a better eating plan you will cut back fast foods, meats and dairy, but you can eat a boatload of beans, greens, fruits and veggies.
–Melissa Wilbur Ballard, nutrition educator
“The word ‘diet’ insinuates limiting food. When you build a better eating plan you will cut back fast foods, meats and dairy, but you can eat a boatload of beans, greens, fruits and veggies. People can eat pounds of food all day long with a healthy eating plan without feeling restricted. It's about changing the food that is available to your kids to foods that offer vitamins and nutrients,” said Ballard.
“If we know fruits and vegetables are the healthiest foods for us, then shouldn't these foods hold the largest portion of our diets? Doing what is best for your kids comes in building good manners and character but also doing what's right by what their body needs. If we know their body needs these foods to thrive (and not just survive) then we should make that a priority.”
Parents should avoid buying foods with trans fats and corn syrups, and ideally any ingredients they can’t identify. Using a websites like Choose My Plate can be a great way to educate everyone in your family about the basics of eating healthy.
Cooking healthy recipes together with your child is also a great tool in teaching better eating habits and opening up a dialogue about their health.
Get active
Taking walks as a family is a simple way to get the ball rolling. In addition, ask your child what activities or sports they enjoy, and then encourage and plan for them to do those activities more frequently.
For younger children, abandon the word exercise all together and encourage them to play. When the weather is good, go outside. Simple things like riding a bike or throwing a ball around can be the equivalent of a good workout. The more fun they have, the more likely they are to do it more often. As the parent, you have the authority and responsibility to turn off the television, computer and video games, and get your child up and moving.
Children, ages 6-17, should do at least one hour of physical activity a day. Setting aside that time and making exercise a priority, and then sticking with it, is essential for getting your family strong and healthy.
Stay Positive
Some parents may feel apprehensive about approaching their child about getting healthy. They may think, “What if there are hurt feelings? What if changing our family’s eating habits is too difficult?” But part of being a parent is doing what’s best for your child, even when it’s challenging or uncomfortable.
Stay positive and pile on the encouragement, and remember that your child is relying on you to help steer them towards a healthy future.
Nicole Pollard currently resides in Canyon Country, Calif.
