Parents Affect Overweight Children

Expert on the Behavioral Approach to Weight Management Discusses the Causes of Overweight Children

Citing the rising numbers of overweight children, Dr. Gerard J. Musante, founder of Structure House, a residential weight loss facility, parlays his 30 years of helping overweight adults into advice for parents seeking to improve their child's eating habits.

"It is increasingly difficult for children to maintain a healthy weight in today's society," explains Dr. Musante, a clinical psychologist. "Children mimic their parents' relationship with food and parents must examine their own eating and exercise habits if they wish to help their overweight children."

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey quantified the issue. NHANES studied 4,722 children and adolescents and found 10% of children age two through five years; 15% of children age six through 11 years; and 15% of adolescents age 12 through 19 years were overweight.

"We are raising a new generation that will increase the percentage of overweight adults, already hovering at 64 percent," says Dr. Musante. "The reasons are many, not the least of which is that children and adolescents are becoming less active just as they are increasingly exposed to food of questionable nutritional value in schools, at fast food restaurants, and even at home." Musante continues, "Ultimately, obesity is caused by consuming more calories than are burned, but learning to identify eating triggers other than hunger is an important step."

FOR YOURSELF

• Examine your relationship with food. What do your eating habits say to your child?
• Provide an example. Be physically active and make healthy eating choices.

FOR YOUR CHILD

• Encourage activity. Be active as a family. Support your child's interest in sports.
• Limit sedentary activities. Watch time spent on television, computer and video games.
• Respect your child's appetite. Children should not have to "clean" plate if not hungry.
• Pack healthy lunches. Balance of protein and carbohydrates. Add fruit for dessert.
• Choose healthy carbohydrates. Use complex carbohydrates over refined, processed food.
• Limit snacks. Regulate high-calorie snacks, avoiding pre-prepared food with extra sugar.
• Watch soft drinks. Replace soft drinks and other high-calorie drinks with water.
• Do not offer food-based rewards for good behavior.
• Communicate. Explain to your child why eating healthy is important.
• Consult a doctor and/or a registered dietitian with any health/nutritional concerns.

Dr. Gerard Musante

Structure House, Inc.

Center for Weight Control & Lifestyle Change

Durham, NC

http://www.structurehouse.com/

800-553-0052

Since 1977