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Diets not wise for obese kids

July 25, 2004 1:10 am

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.

When overweight parents lose weight, their overweight children succeed, too, according to a study out of Buffalo, N.Y. Parents' weight loss best predicted their children's weight normalizing. Try for at least a half-hour of physical activity with kids most days of the week.

Adolescents who watched more than two hours of television a day were twice as likely to be overweight at follow-up as adolescents who watched two hours, according to a three-year study of 2,200 Californians ages 12 to 17. Not only are the kids not burning calories, but they're being bombarded by ads for chips and sugary cereals.

Limit the combined total of TV, videos and computer games to two hours daily, advises the American Academy of Pediatrics. Many mothers or caregivers who let children watch more TV than this have symptoms of depression, according to a survey by the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. If you are feeling overwhelmed by parenthood, consider whether counseling may help more than using the TV as a baby sitter.

Make mealtimes relaxed

Relax and sit at a table instead of rushing to eat while standing or driving. Try to avoid arguments at the table. Consider turning off the TV to avoid automatic eating past the point of fullness. Have pleasant conversations.

Parents' responsibility is to provide a variety of healthy foods. Include fruits or vegetables at each meal. Don't be a short-order cook who serves hot dogs to the kids and chicken to the rest of the family. Prepare one healthy meal for everyone and offer at least one item that the child likes. For example, if the child dislikes chicken, make sure a favorite side dish such as mashed potatoes is available.

Children have small stomachs and often need between-meal snacks. Schedule three meals plus one or two snacks daily, and stick to the schedule. Discourage grazing.

It's important to let children decide how much to eat and whether to eat at all, according to Ellyn Satter, a psychotherapist and registered dietitian. Although hard to swallow at first for some parents, Satter's instructions are touted by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association.

Research shows that people who aren't paying attention to their own feelings of hunger and fullness are the ones most likely to be overweight. These people tend to rely on external cues, such as counting calories or cleaning their plates.

Raising kids this way seems to backfire. Research shows that the more parents' control how much their children eat, the less self-control the children have when they're alone. These kids are more likely to overeat.

Instead, let children eat as many portions as they want of foods at the table, no matter whether it is more or less than you feel is needed. If they say they are full, trust them. Don't force them to clean the plate.

Don't use foods as a bribe, punishment or pacifier. For example, don't bribe a misbehaving child with a trip to the ice cream stand if they behave or threaten them with no more ice cream this year if they don't shape up. Don't use ice cream or other foods to comfort a child who is sad. Food is a right, not a reward, and using it otherwise encourages overeating in painful times. Comfort your child with love and attention, not food.

For more tips, try online ellynsatter.com and eatright.org.

JENNIFER MOTL , a registered dietitian, welcomes reader questions. E-mail her at jenmotl@earthlink.net; or write to her at Nutrition, The Free-Lance Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.