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Diets not wise for obese kids

Parents can set children on path to healthy eating.

Date published: 7/25/2004

CHILDHOOD OBESITY is a growing problem. The percentage of over- weight children in the United States has increased by half in the last 15 years, and parents are worried.

Unfortunately, some of the diet strategies parents use can backfire, and make their children gain even more weight.

For example, after parents encouraged kids to eat more vegetables, the children reported disliking them more, researchers have found. (This is no surprise to parents, I'm sure.)

Likewise, restricting children's access to snack foods--potato chips, for example--leads children to eat more of it when given the chance.

How much parents pressure their kids to eat and express concern for their weight increased the children's body fat by 15 percent in a study done in California this spring.

Another study of 810 Minnesota adolescents showed that boys whose mothers encouraged them to diet were at risk for binge-eating and fasting.

Parents can help overweight children, but a light hand works best. Children should not diet. For most overweight children, the goal is not to lose weight but instead to gain more slowly so that their height catches up to their weight.

There are many reasons a particular person may be overweight: genes, poverty and lack of education have all been linked to obesity. But there are more things that we can influence, so take heart.

Studies of African-American families show that when parents eat well, their children follow suit and eat more servings of fruits and vegetables.

Research shows that children need to be exposed to a new food eight to 10 times before they will eat it, much less like it. Don't pressure children to eat a new food. For example, put a small amount of broccoli on their plates and don't comment when they do or don't eat it. If they say they hate it, don't give up. It may take serving broccoli once a week for three months before they take a bite and like it.

If your child is picky, pair him up with a friend or sibling who is more open-minded about food. Peer pressure is more effective than parental pressure.

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Date published: 7/25/2004