Do parents make kids fat?
In a newly published piece for The New York Times, Dr. Perri Klass posed that question to some obesity and nutrition experts to figure out whether parents make choices that affect their childs weight. But the answer is not clear-cut.
When you are the parent of an obese child, there is tremendous stigma, Dr. Julie Lumeng, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, told The New York Times. Everyone looks at the parent and thinks: That parent is incompetent. They dont care about their child. Why cant they just make the child eat less and exercise?
Parents are somewhat to blame for children becoming obese, Klass posits. Positive nutrition choices make all the difference.
Its important not to overfeed babies, to keep junk food and sugary drinks out of the house, to not let kids eat in front of the screen, and to encourage kids to 'eat the rainbow' of fruits and vegetables, Klass writes.
But, people shouldnt be so quick to judge, Lumeng told The New York Times.
The good parenting that a lot of families exercise when it comes to health, that may be good enough for a lot of kids," Lumeng said. "But with some kids with a genetic makeup that predisposes them to obesity, its not enough.
Read more at The New York Times.
In a newly published piece for The New York Times, Dr. Perri Klass posed that question to some obesity and nutrition experts to figure out whether parents make choices that affect their childs weight. But the answer is not clear-cut.
When you are the parent of an obese child, there is tremendous stigma, Dr. Julie Lumeng, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, told The New York Times. Everyone looks at the parent and thinks: That parent is incompetent. They dont care about their child. Why cant they just make the child eat less and exercise?
Parents are somewhat to blame for children becoming obese, Klass posits. Positive nutrition choices make all the difference.
Its important not to overfeed babies, to keep junk food and sugary drinks out of the house, to not let kids eat in front of the screen, and to encourage kids to 'eat the rainbow' of fruits and vegetables, Klass writes.
But, people shouldnt be so quick to judge, Lumeng told The New York Times.
The good parenting that a lot of families exercise when it comes to health, that may be good enough for a lot of kids," Lumeng said. "But with some kids with a genetic makeup that predisposes them to obesity, its not enough.
Read more at The New York Times.
