Preventing Childhood Obesity

 It has been noted that obesity runs in families.  It is true that genetic factors play a huge role in childhood obesity, but the interaction between environmental factors and genetics is what changes the degree of adiposity.  The build and stature of a child more often than not resembles that of their parent.  Therefore, many of the children who are obese have parents who are also obese.  All of this leads to a cycle of obese parents raising obese children.  “Genes don’t make us obese.  They allow us to be obese,” said Hill, who is the director of the Center of Human Nutrition at Colorado Health Sciences University (Ferguson).  Hill blames the American environment for the alarming rates of obesity in our society.    

Parents are the ones that can most influence the child’s eating habits by modeling a healthy diet.  This also goes for exercise; if children see their parents exercising, then they are also going to want to exercise.  Feelings about food and eating are created within the home.  If it is within the home that children are developing these poor eating habits, than it is within the home that we need to try to make the changes.  Parenting habits can be challenging and difficult to change directly.  However, adaptations can be made slowly if enough emphasis is provided by family and others.  

Parents need to promote healthy eating behaviors for children at an early age and allow them to learn to control their own eating patterns while they are young and have boundaries.  There is such a thing as being over controlling and this can cause undesired effects in a child.  This can cause children to become self-conscious about their weight, which can lead to eating disorders.  By enforcing good eating habits and reflecting those daily, parents can easily raise health conscious children who will grow to be healthy adults.    

Submitted by: 

Kristen Jackson Slusher, MS,RD, LDN
Clinical Nutrition Specialist
East Tennessee Children's Hospital
P.O.Box 15010 / 2018 Clinch Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37916
Phone:865-541-8395 / Fax:865-541-8681
E-mail:  kjslusher@etch.com