Childood Obesity: the Role of the Parents

Childhood Obesity: The Role of the Parents
Eng. 122
Professor Clark
October 24, 2010

Childhood Obesity: The Role of the Parents
Introduction:
As childhood obesity continues to rise people begin to look for answers. With the finger of blame pointing vehemently about, many theories have come about as to the possible causes. The food industry is at the top of the list of possible villains. The media has also shared in the blame for making our kids fat and lazy. Technology has even been accused of making everyday living too easy for the children of today. While each of these is a factor to be considered in dealing with childhood obesity, none of them can be said to be the true culprit. No, ultimately the finger of blame comes to rest where many refuse to look, on the parents. The role that we, as parents, play is bigger than all other factors combined. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that children are educated about proper nutrition and developing a healthy lifestyle. It is equally, if not more, important for the parents to be an example that children can follow when it comes to eating and exercise. Because parents play such a critical role in preventing obesity, they should be at the center of efforts to combat it, (Lindsay, Sussner, Kim, 2006). The purpose of this research paper was to investigate the role of parents in preventing childhood obesity and to determine the effect of parental efforts to combat it. Childhood obesity was very uncommon twenty years ago. Go back a little further and it was almost unheard of. Now, however, it is a problem that affects millions of children all over the world. What was once a rarity has now become an epidemic, and nowhere else is this more obvious than in the United States. In fact, according to a recent study, the number of overweight children has doubled since 1980, and the heaviest children are much heavier by comparison, (Assistant Secretary, 2010). These growing numbers should be cause for concern because as the obesity level increases in kids, so does the likelihood of other diseases and illnesses. If that were not reason enough, then consider the idea of greatly shortened life expectancies for the children of America today.
Methods:
The type of research conducted for this paper was secondary in nature. In order to thoroughly investigate the subject, information was gathered and compared from multiple sources. The resources used include: library research, internet research, journal articles and statistical study research. The journal articles proved to be the most useful for the study, as they contained the most relevant information. Of particular use for this paper was an article from the journal, The Future of Children. The article was titled, The Role of Parents in Preventing Childhood Obesity. It was extremely relevant to the topic and lent a good deal of insight and information to the study.
Results:
Research has demonstrated a positive relationship between parental influence and obesity rates. Even before birth, aspects of the mother’s pregnancy can put a child at risk for obesity, (Lindsay, Sussner, Kim, 2006.). What the mother eats has a direct affect on the development of the child. Unfavorable conditions in the womb can increase a fetus’s risk of developing metabolic abnormalities in the future. These later complications could range from hypertension to type II diabetes. Parents also have an important role to play during infancy. During infancy a child is just beginning to establish a foundation for future eating habits. While there is still some debate on the subject, many researchers believe that here is a definite correlation between breastfeeding and obesity. One explanation for this is because it may help infants better regulate their food intake, because they stop eating when they feel full. It has also been suggested that many formulas are more nutrient dense than breast milk, and may promote weight gain early. Throughout the toddler and preschool stages parents can continue to shape a child’s environment in ways that encourage them to be healthy. Research shows that, even though they are predisposed to like certain tastes, children develop a majority of their food habits through exposure and repeat experiences. Studies also indicate that children develop unique differences in the way their body regulates energy intake as early as preschool. The way parents feed their children contributes and affects these individual differences in energy regulation. Contrary to popular practice, however, it may not be a good idea to make kids eat their vegetables. Kids are responsive to parents control attempts and research shows that attempts to control/restrict food can result in an imbalance in his/her ability to self-regulate food intake. Strict control of food may also cause a child to develop a preference for high fat/ high sugar foods. It has been shown to be more effective to offer a wide array of healthy foods, because children like to feel that they have options. Also important is the context in which the food is offered. If it is offered in a positive context, children are more likely to eat it. In addition to feeding habits and portion control, the types of food and beverages parents make available have an effect on a child’s chances of obesity. For instance, one study showed that children ages 2-5 who drank more than 12 ounces of soda or fruit juice daily were more likely to be overweight. In another study it was revealed that nearly half of all vegetable servings children consume today are fried potatoes. Additionally the predominant snacks given to children are chips, cookies, or some other energy dense food. The biggest problem with sugar sweetened beverages and high energy foods are that children, nor parents, compensate for them at mealtime. Thus these items become excess calories in the diet. This continued excess over an extended period can lead to weight gain and other negative metabolic changes. It is predominantly up to the parents to decide what a child eats and drinks. It has been shown that children have a lower risk of obesity if there is less unhealthy food kept in the home. Studies also suggest that parental food preferences and lifestyle choices have a direct influence on those of the children. It is important for parents to model healthy eating habits, because children learn a lot through imitation. If parents overeat, then the children are likely to overeat as well. Studies have shown that if just one parent is overweight that it doubles a child’s chances for obesity (Gahagan, S. 2003, 2009). Even as children grow older they continue to be influenced by what and how much their parents eat. Keeping children active is also an essential part of weight management. Evidence has shown that the activity level of the parents has an influence on that of the child. The Framingham 's children 's study found that children aged 4-7 who had active mothers were twice as likely to be active, while children with two active parents were 5.8 times more likely to be active(Lindsay, Sussner, Kim, 2006) . Many studies have also demonstrated a link between the amount of time children spend outside and a healthy bodyweight. So encouraging outside play could also be beneficial in battling childhood obesity. Many studies have also found the amount of time children are allowed to spend on media, (T.V., Computer, Video Games, etc...), can affect their chances of becoming obese. In a recent national survey it was shown that children in grades 3-12 averaged around 8 hours of media time per day. It has also been documented that about half of American children watch over two hours of television a day. Several studies have found a positive association between the amounts of time spent viewing television and increased prevalence of obesity in children, (CDC, 2010). There are several reasons why this may be. The main argument is that it leads children to be sedentary. More time in front of the T.V. or other media equals less time being active. Other reasons include: increased energy consumption due to snacking while using different media, exposure to advertisements that influence poor food choices, and a lowered metabolic rate. Given the evidence, media use may also be something that parents should monitor in order to prevent obesity in their children.
Conclusion:
While there are many elements to consider, parents are the central figure in the prevention of and battle against childhood obesity. In the home, parents must not only instruct but also demonstrate a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating right and being active themselves. In addition to being healthy role models, parents should also keep an eye on what their children are doing in their free time and when away from home. Limiting sedentary behaviors and encouraging physical activity will help decrease a child’s likelihood of being overweight or obese as well. By better understanding their own role in influencing their child’s dietary practices and lifestyle choices, parents can learn how to become more effective in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

References
Anderson, P.M., Butcher, K.F. Childhood Obesity: Trends and Political Causes. The Future of Children. 16, (1), 2006 pp. 19-45. doi:10.1353/foc.2006.0001
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Childhood Obesity. 2010 Retrieved from, http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/
Childhood overweight and obesity. (n.d.) Retrieved from Center for disease control and Prevention. Website: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html
Gahagan, S. 2003, (Updated 2009) University of Michigan Health Systems: Your Child. How Parents Can Fight the Obesity Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/your child/ topics/fightobesity/.htm
Lindsay, A.C., Sussner, K.M., Kim, J. The Role of Parents in Preventing Childhood Obesity. The Future of Children. 16, (1), 2006 pp.169-186. doi:10.1353/foc.2006.0006
The Obesity Society, Childhood Overweight. 2001 Retrieved from, http://www.obesity.org/information/childhood_overweight.asp

References: Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Childhood Obesity. 2010 Retrieved from, http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ Gahagan, S. 2003, (Updated 2009) University of Michigan Health Systems: Your Child. Obesity. The Future of Children. 16, (1), 2006 pp.169-186. doi:10.1353/foc.2006.0006 The Obesity Society, Childhood Overweight