Buy Walking VideosChildhood Obesity
It’s everywhere. I can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the television news without hearing about Childhood Obesity. Every article has tips for parents on how to deal with obese children. What they need to do and what they need to feed their kids.
Let me tell you, as a former obese child, there is no way that your children don’t know that they are fat. They get it every day at school. They hear the rhymes: “Fattie, fattie, two by four. Can’t fit through the bathroom door.” There is no escape from the hell that they experience at school. If you start treating them like they are fat, then there is no escape, period. If they get the torment at school and then get it at home, they might as well…
I’m speaking from experience and here is what I might as well did: vomiting after each meal, starving myself, overeating in frustration, living in depression, and contemplating ending it all. And I was lucky. I only dealt with a home situation that called me fat during the summers when I lived with my grandmother. Three quarters of the year, I lived in a loving and nurturing environment.
So, what do I recommend parents do?
“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.”
– Michael Jackson, The Man in the Mirror, 1987
Your children learned their habits from somewhere. If you want your child to eat healthier food, don’t say a word to them. You need to eat healthy food as an example. That means if you’re making a healthy dinner, they eat it too. If you want a snack, make sure you’re snacking on fruits and vegetables.
If you want your child to stop watching television and playing video games, don’t say a word to them. Get your own butt off the couch. “Hey, I’m going on a bike ride. Do you want to come with me? No? Ok, have fun.” Several weeks of them missing a nightly bike ride, they will join in. It works with anything, “I’m going to go shoot some hoops, wanna come?” “I’m going to take a walk over to the park, wanna come with me?” Don’t force them to come. Don’t reprimand them for not coming. Just give them a good example.
No amount of nagging will make them eat healthier or exercise more. Enrolling them in classes and watching television the whole time they’re gone, just makes them resent you. Forcing them to eat food that is healthy and sneaking off to stuff Hostess Cupcakes in your face just proves to them that “our family is just fat.” Don’t make their homelife the living hell that school is. Provide them with a good example and let them make their own choices.
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February 2nd, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Oh such good advice that could be applied to a lot of different areas.
May 1st, 2006 at 10:23 pm
well….what can i say i am obese myself very obese i’m 13 years old and weigh 12kg, i don’t do any exersice expect when i play play station….OMG i just realised i do 10 hours of activity a day…On the computer i move my fingers no wonder i can type so fast….my fingers are fit LMAo yes but i’m fat!! hi fatties out there
May 15th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
What do you do to prevent childhood obesity. Does you website work?
June 13th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
I think that if you are obese it is your own fault. You have a brain. Can’t you tell when you are getting fat and decide that you need to do something. I don’t think it is really that hard to do exercise!!!!!!
June 13th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
There’s a special hell for people like you, annalise.
It’s called Middle Age.
Remember your “kind” words when you experience the joy of your body changing against your will.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:50 am
parents fault mostly..if your parents are obese, they didnt teach you proper eating habits as a child so you dunno any beter, but seriously take gym courses at school its definitely worth the effort
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:06 am
Personally I agree with your’ words of wisdom. I was once a fat kid. I was always picked on and people would make fun of me. I now know how to stay healthy and i jog at least 3 miles a day. But I do remember all the nasty words and feelings thjat arose. I almost killed myself because of them. So please keep preaching your’ feelings. They will help more thaqn a few kids.
Sincerly,
Jayk Wood
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:09 am
Personally i agree with you in some parts of your article but not all the way… somthings are hard and i know school is hell i am in school believe me i hear kids being taunted by other kids because of there weight but yet, yes some of it is there parents fault but not all of it. Its not like their parents say “hey johnny today sit on the cauch all day and eat twinkies” Prarents accually try to help, I mean yes who wants to be reminded there fat everyday NO ONE DOES so why dont you go fix it i know its hard but there is things out there to help believe me i grew up in a family of obese unlike myself my parents were obese and they got help mabey you should to if your that depressed about your weight i mean common what are you a grown adualt and you cant deal with your personal problems and blame it on your parents? I think that parents should give there children options to come on bike rides but i doubt they would start to go why go for a bike ride when they can watch TV and eat twinkies? I think that its mostly your own fault if your obese but you are right other people dont help the situation. +Good luck with your problems+ May god be with ya hopefully all the “Obese” people get some help! By the way its not what other people think of you its what you think of yourself and thats all that counts!
Sincerely, Alissa
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:45 am
I AGREE WITH YA TOTALLY ALISSA!!!!!
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
my sonis obese and he is taunted constantly, he is very disobedient and rude at home, i think this is th only way to let out his fustration about his body, are there any parents having the same poblemand what prevention can i sought
July 9th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I think that people should leave them alone, if they have a problem with themselves then only they can change it, we don’t want everyone in the world to look the same, not to mention when they grow up, there will be people that love them for who they are with their size included.
August 21st, 2007 at 2:36 am
what i think about this is that it is hard to loose weight i know this because i am 12 years of age and i am 68kg and i am findig it really hard to to loose weight i try not to eat but i just cant help it i have to eat and i think if u tell someone to loose weight its like telling them to die of hunger
September 7th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
this is excellent advice. for everyone whose saying let the kids deal with it on their own, how can they? there children, they don’t know how to fix themselves. setting good examples is an excellent way to get children into better habits. not only is obesity looked down upon, but it can lead to serious health issues. parents, don’t you want your children to lead healthy lives? letting children depend on themselves isn’t going to change anything. you need to be there support system.
September 24th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I was old enough to make desicions like that when I was younger, but the parents or anyone else should not blame the kids, it technically is the parents fault, it’s like anyone that wants to loose weight it’s not instant it has to be done slowly, but the parents wait till they get like this and then chuck them in some “loose weight boot camp” or take some other drastic measure.
October 6th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
With a BMI of 36, I am moderately obese. Yes, I bike frequently, and even did a century or two. I have biked to San Francisco 18 times, to Gilroy twice, to Santa Cruz, Sausalito, Half Moon Bay, San Leandro, and Sunol once each.
January 5th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
We all agree that parents are in charge of their children’s health; therefore they are also the ones who are to blame for childhood obesity.
June 2nd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
I believe fat kids need to be made fun of for being FAT they could use the motivation