Overweight Children and Their Parents

Overweight parents who feed their children too much food are mainly to blame for Britain’s childhood obesity crisis. This is according to the report from the Early-Bird Diabetes study, based at the Peninsula Medical School, Plymouth. UK.

The findings published in the report shows that daughters of overweight mothers are ten times more likely to be obese by the age of eight than daughters born to slim mothers. Sons of obese fathers are six times more likely to be overweight. These facts are quoted in The Daily Telegraph.

The Report says children of fat parents tend to be overfed and under-exercised. But it cautioned that physical activity in overweight children will help a child’s fitness but not his or her fatness. This statement can also apply to adults.

The Report continues - It seems that weight gain patterns – either towards being overweight or staying slim – are set early in life, perhaps very early, by some behavioural sympathy between obese parents and their same sex off-spring.

The Report is one of the few long-term studies into childhood obesity in Britain.

The Results

Cutting down on food will have two very important results.

First of all cutting out all the unnecessary crisps, sugary snacks, drinks etc. will save money, and secondly it will improve the health of children (and adults) by lessening the risk of diabetes.

Plus sugary snacks and drinks also damage the teeth.

How is it done?

First of all by learning a two letter word ‘No’.

Don’t buy any snacks or biscuits so that they are not available to young children. If there are some biscuits in the house, make sure they are a plain, fow fat variety and limit the intake to 2 per day.

Don't buy expensive sugary drinks.

Pack lunch boxes for school-age children so that these do not contain crisps, sugary biscuit bars etc. but instead a piece of fruit –a banana, apple, orange or grapes. Low fat yoghurts are also an option.

For older children, use the image of pop-stars etc. to inspire them. There are no obese pop-stars. Try to choose those that are not drug-takers!

Put pressure on any schools that still have vending machines selling sugary, unhealthy snacks to get rid of them. Although most schools now ban these machines.

Some schools have found that when sugary snacks and drinks are banned the hyperactivity of children is drastically reduced.

The Results

It will be a case of constant dripping wearing away a stone (or pounds of fat). Some might even call it nagging to get the message through to any overweight children and possibly yourself. No one is pretending it is going to be easy, but after four weeks the results should be showing.

Parents need to think of the future of their child’s health and their own.

Obesity can lead to diabetes which can be a killer.