Even though many parents realize that childhood obesity is a serious medical condition and a risk to a child’s health and longevity, they fail to recognize the problem when it presents itself in their own offspring. In a recent poll of 2600 Americans (approximately 2/3 of which were parents), researchers discovered a “stark mismatch” between a child’s weight problem and a parent’s ability to recognize it.
In the poll, parents were asked to report the height and weight of their oldest child so that researchers could calculate their child’s body mass index (BMI). In order to meet the threshold of being considered obese, the child had to have a BMI that fell in the 95 to 100 percentile range for their age and gender. Children were classified as overweight if they fell into the 85 to 94 percentile range. On these grounds, the scientists discovered that a full quarter of the children aged 6 to 17 could be classified as overweight or obese as defined by the parameters of the study.
When questioned, many parents did were not able to recognize the fact that their own child had a weight problem, although the parents of teenagers were more likely to do so than the parents of adolescents and preteens. Despite this finding, 84% of parents also indicated that they want their child’s physician to address the issue of obesity during their regular checkups. This would indicate that most parents are at least somewhat open to receiving more advice and guidance on helping their child eat better and become more physically fit.
As with most things in life, the first step to resolving a problem is recognizing that you have one. Although educational organizations are undertaking measures to cut back on the availability of sugary drinks and fat-filled junk foods in the public school systems, it is also critical for a parent to be aware of their child’s weight issues and be able to address them at home too.
In order to do this, parents will have to become better acquainted with what is considered an appropriate (read: healthy) weight for their child’s height and gender.
After recognizing the problem, the next step is to take action to correct it. Both the CDC and the USDA can be useful resources when seeking more information about childhood obesity in the United States, but also ask questions of your child’s physician. Few people will be more in tune to your child’s special health requirements than you and your child’s doctor. Finally, start encouraging better eating habits for your entire family by choosing healthier snacks to fill their tummies. By simply opting for snacks from YoNaturals vending machines, you will demonstrate that you not only recognize the problem, but you also recognize the solution.