Parents have a dramatic influence on the health of their young children. With childhood obesity at frightening levels, health and fitness writer Andrew Cate takes a closer look at the role parents can play in preventing and treating childhood weight problems.
How serious is the problem? All parents want to give their children the healthiest possible start in life. Yet busy lives and demanding schedules make it easy to grab fast food, and place kids in front of the television to keep them quiet. Meanwhile, the percentage of children who are overweight or obese has climbed to record levels. In the UK, 22% of boys and 28% of girls aged 2 to 15 are either overweight or obese. This has increased significantly in the last ten years, primarily because children are eating too much for the little amount of physical activity they undertake.1
Barriers to a healthy lifestyle There are several barriers to physical activity and healthy eating that children face. The extent to which these barriers affect your child may help to explain why your child is overweight. Awareness of these barriers is also a key step in addressing them. Excessive television viewing – The more a child watches television, the more likely they are to be overweight. Any more than one-hour of television viewing a day will have an impact. Stress – Traumatic events such as abuse, separation or divorce can contribute to overeating and weight gain in children. Riding in cars with Mum – Parents may worry about their child playing or walking to school in an unsafe neighbourhood, so they are driven instead of walking or cycling. Media influence – Children are vulnerable to the temptations offered by the media. Expensive campaigns target and tempt kids, yet little is spent promoting exercise or healthy foods. Parents in denial – Parents are unlikely to improve the lifestyle habits of their children unless they identify a problem. However, one study showed that 50% of parents with obese children, and 70% of parents with overweight children saw their children as ‘normal weight’.2 Others – Additional barriers to a healthy lifestyle include a lack of fitness-oriented classes in school, a lack of recreational facilities (especially in low-income areas), and busy parents.
What can parents do? Strict diets and fanatical exercise programmes will not work for children. Making changes to your children’s lifestyle, and possibly the whole family’s, is a challenge that will require time and effort. An important strategy to prevent and treat childhood weight problems is to address the three key issues: diet, exercise, and role modelling. As a parent, your knowledge of nutrition, the foods you provide, the example that you set and your attitude towards exercise will have a strong influence over the health of your child.
Feed your child wellHealthy nutrition is not only vital for your child’s health, but it also helps to assist with growth, learning and development. Children who are poorly nourished are likely to become tired and cranky, making life harder at home and at school. Parents buy the foods and fill the lunchboxes. The popularity and increased availablity of fast foods is a concern, but at the end of the day, you have the choice not to buy them. The key as a parent is to take control over what your children eat, and find a balance between the foods your child should eat most, moderately and least. The importance of breakfast shouldn’t be underestimated. Breakfast is associated with improved strength and endurance, a better attitude towards school, improved memory, prevention of hunger and also prevention of subsequent over-eating during the day. The best way for children to learn healthy eating habits is from good examples in the home and at school. Children learn the most from what they see and do the most.
Encourage physical activity Regular physical activity is a priority for your children. Taking part in exercise should be encouraged from an early age to promote self-esteem, and help children function optimally both physically and mentally. The enjoyment of sport at an early age, and the influence of parents, friends, teachers, coaches and schools combine to shape lifelong attitudes and participation in sport and exercise. There is a vast array of experiences and emotions that determine a young person’s willingness to be active. Children have different needs depending on their personality and stage of development. For example, it is recommended that prior to the age of ten, children should be encouraged to learn basic skills through small games and group activities without the pressure of competition. An emphasis on enjoyment rather than winning encourages children to participate in a wide variety of sports at school, within the community and with family and friends. It is important that young people have a range of options to choose from so that there is a better chance of finding something they enjoy and which suits them individually. Children who enjoy the rewards of sports participation such as belonging to a team, achieving goals, and learning new skills are more likely to continue playing sport, developing lifelong habits. Just as you should encourage physical activity, you should discourage inactive pastimes. There are some sedentary activities that are very popular with children, such as television, computer games, Game Boy, the Internet, videos / DVDs and mobile phone messaging. These activities lead to motion deprivation, where people spend hours doing very little more than sitting down.
Be a role model By setting a good example, parents have a unique opportunity to be a positive influence on their children’s eating habits. The home environment has a powerful influence on the health of the child. It won’t help to create a junk- free zone for your kids while Mum and Dad munch away on chips and lie on the couch. Children are good learners, and they learn by what they see. Parents can make a huge difference by changing the whole family’s approach to diet, and by encouraging family members to be more active. This benefits everyone, and doesn’t single out the child who is overweight. Choose healthy foods and active pursuits for yourself. Your children will see that they can follow your habits, and emulate their parents’ desire to be healthy and active. They will also see that healthy behaviour is important for adults, and develop a positive attitude towards health and fitness for the rest of their lives. The more gradual the changes you make, and the more support available from family and friends, the more likely you are to succeed. When you do start to make changes, make sure you are well informed. There is the child’s growth and development to consider, and lessons about food and exercise that could last a lifetime.
1British Medical Association – Preventing Childhood Obesity June 20052Paediatric Academic Society May 2001
A big problem To emphasise how serious the problem is, consider these facts
Obese children are much more likely to be obese adults.
Overweight adolescents who become obese adults have higher levels of ill health and a higher risk of early death
Overweight children are less likely to try new activities and sports
There has even been a sharp rise in the number of infants and toddlers classified as overweight.
Dietary guidelines for your child Keep the following guidelines in mind when planning and preparing meals and snacks for your children:
Provide your child with a wide variety of nutritious foods
Eat plenty of plant foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals, vegetables, fruits and legumes.
Provide a diet low in fat and, in particular, low in saturated animal fats.
Eat only a moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added sugars.
Monitor your child’s portion sizes, keeping them to a moderate level.
Encourage your child to drink water instead of juice, soft drink and cordial.
Don’t provide unhealthy food as a reward.
Benefits to your child of physical activity
Improved hand/eye co-ordination
Improved leadership qualities
Improved physical development
Social approval, belonging and recognition
Wider development of social skills
Development in team situations
Improved self esteem, self image and self confidence
Improved academic performance
Improved cardiovascular fitness
Improved self-discipline
Improved organisational ability
Ability to make new friends
Parents’ checklist
Don’t just rely on your child’s school to provide physical activity
Encourage your child to try many different activities and sports
Don’t include daily treats in your child’s lunchbox
Monitor how much sedentary time your child spends watching television and playing sedentary games, and limiting their time to a maximum of 60 – 90 minutes
Be active on your family holidays
Make sure your child has a healthy breakfast
Be a good role model for your child when it comes to health, diet and exercise.
Parents have a dramatic influence on the health of their young children. With childhood obesity at frightening levels, health and fitness writer Andrew Cate takes a closer look at the role parents can play in preventing and treating childhood weight problems. 
