by Katarzyna Radzka

Created on: September 15, 2010

Parents have a lot of influence on whether their child is obese or at a healthy weight. It’s much easier to blame genetics, schools, advertising and having the junk food outlet near the home but these things don’t exist in a child’s life without their parents permission. Obesity begins at home.

Looking at families who have obese children we often see that the parents are struggling with weight problems also. People may blame genetics and being big boned but that’s rarely the case. More often than not it’s the lifestyle habits that have led to obesity in the family. Parents started this trend by not looking after themselves first and by not setting an example for their children. If parents are eating huge amounts of high fat and cholesterol food every day it’s likely that they are feeding the same food to their children which will only lead to the same result. Obesity.

It’s easy to lay the blame on other factors. School canteens, lack of sport at school, having fast food so easily available. Yes these things do exist and they add to the problem but it’s the individuals choice whether they eat something or whether they exercise. Parents have a lot more influence on their children’s obesity and general health than they realize. They can simply say no when children request to be taken to eat burgers and fries. Parents can take their children to the park to play ball or sign them up for a team sport instead of allowing them to consume excessive amounts of sweets, crisps and soft drink while engrossed in a silly computer game.

Children eat most of their meals at home. These meals are either purchased or cooked by their parents. The choices parents make often rub on to their children and they are likely to make similar ones as they grow up and become adults. Parents influence children’s obesity by what they put on their plate. Just by changing their cooking style parents can help prevent or reduce obesity in the family and in the world. Not cooking with oil, eating more vegetables instead of pizzas, having fruit for desert instead of ice cream and cake. Little things that will influence whether children are obese or not are all in the realm of parental control. Parents decide whether their children are obese not genetics, friends or schools. Parents have the influence to cause obesity and they have the same influence to eliminate it.

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