Help obese kids lose weight

By DR. KELLI K. MAW, To Your Health
Published December 12, 2007

Not a day goes by that there isn't something about obesity in the media. By now, everyone knows how high the nation's obesity rates are. There is a lot of discussion about childhood obesity as well, and the various factors that contribute to it.

The U.S. surgeon general's office recently issued a call to action to prevent and decrease obesity among children and adolescents. According to this paper, in 1999, 13 percent of children ages 6 to 11 years and 14 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 19 years in the United States were overweight. It reports that these numbers have nearly tripled for adolescents in the past two decades.

You may wonder what the rates are for Hernando County's children. Every year, the county Health Department school health nurses - Ann Faith, Janet Dick and Jan Musick - go to various schools to measure heights, weights and body mass indexes. They then report this to the state Health Department.

While about 16 percent of children are overweight in kindergarten or first grade, the rate goes up to about 22 percent in the third grade. And by the time they are in the sixth grade, up to 27 percent of children are overweight.

We read about the bad things that go with being obese and overweight, like heart disease and diabetes, and as parents or health care professionals we worry about how bleak our children's futures will be. We also hear from experts that our children need to exercise more and stay away from fast food, and that it's a matter of "calories in minus calories out" with the balance going to extra weight.

But the reality is, we live in the kind of environment where we must drive to mail a letter, go to the grocery store or reach the hiking trail, so, basically, we can't walk anywhere. And then, because we spend so much time driving everywhere, it's easier to pick up some fast food on the way home instead of preparing a meal from scratch. Plus, it's hard to go out and exercise when temperature is in the 90s.

Some parents get upset when they are told their child is overweight or obese. Some deny it. We as parents naturally feel bad when we think our parenting skills are being criticized.

Granted, there are exceptions for muscle mass and body frames. But body mass index measurements are standardized, and generally accurate. The first step to addressing the problem is to acknowledge it, and not to despair, because something can be done about it.

Even worse than a parent denying the problem is a parent blaming the child. The last thing a parent should do is to make a child feel inadequate or unloved because of his or her weight. The child knows, more than anyone else, what it feels like to be overweight.

Children can be mean to each other, and the child may have already heard enough about it from their peers. So if your child happens to be overweight, make sure that they know you love them, no matter how much they weigh. But don't show them you love them through food.

I often see families where the young children are of normal weight, the older children are heavy, and the parents are obese. I wonder what kind of future these parents are creating for their children, and what kind of role modeling is going on. Will the smaller children be "pressured" to become "just like" the rest of the family and "fit in"?

We as parents may think that our children are not paying attention to what we say or do. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether we realize it or not, our children watch us for cues, and often our actions will speak louder than our words.

Children need adequate calories to grow, but not excessive calories. They should not be placed on restrictive or fad diets, but rather the fats and oils should be replaced with healthier options.

Simply switching from regular soda to diet soda, or cutting out sugary drinks can shave off several pounds. Also, restaurants typically serve twice as much food as anyone should need. You might ask for a container at the beginning of a meal to take half home for a second meal later in the week. Encourage your child to do the same.

Some literature suggests that children may influence families' obesity rates, but the reality is your child cannot lose weight without your help and commitment. Make one small change at a time so that it is not overwhelming. Your child did not gain all this weight overnight, so don't expect them to lose it right away.

Celebrate your child's success with appropriate rewards. Maybe it's some cool jeans, and when the two of you go to buy them and they fit into a smaller size, make sure you show how impressed and delighted you are, and that will double the reward.

Our school health nurses suggest viewing the lunch menus on the school district Web site, www.hcsb.k12.fl.us/menus.htm, to help children choose healthy meals.

Another site, www.nick.com/letsjustplay/, challenges children to be active.

Of course, there is also an important reward for the parent. It is the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have given your child a great start to ensuring that there will be no heart attacks, strokes and multiple medications in their future.

When our children don't have health problems, they can be more productive, and have a longer, more enjoyable life. The greatest gift that any parent could give to a child is getting them on track to being healthy, wealthy and wise.

Dr. Kelli K. Maw is medical executive director for the Hernando County Health Department/Nature Coast Community Health Center.

[Last modified December 11, 2007, 21:11:27]