Why are some people getting fatter?
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My boyfriend also has a theory that people taste things differently in the same way that we don't all see color the same. Food is then a lot more delicious and appealing to some people than to others.
I think it works the opposite way. I am a 'super taster' and also have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. This makes me a picky eater and often small amounts satisfy me due to the complex flavours. My husband is more normal and cant pick out all the different flavours and smells. He will eat anything.
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I find the opposite to be true.
Growing up, we always had school parties for Halloween, Easter, Christmas, even Valentine's Day, birthdays, and other events in school where treats were given out or home-baked goods were brought in. My mother constantly brought cupcakes or cookies to the classroom for various events. I was not fat and I don't remember any overweight kids in my classes.
Today, they have banned any kind of home-baked goods due to possible allergies and the kids no longer are allowed to enjoy holiday parties. Once in a blue moon they come home with some kind of candy that was given out by the teacher or bus driver. I see a lot of overweight kids today. It isn't because of the schools.0 -
No easy answers here, but I'm fascinated with my kids & their eating habits. My 10 year old son takes after his dad- he can down a massive amount of food when he's hungry, but will leave a single bite on his plate once he's full. Doesn't think twice about skipping dessert- it's all about hunger for him. He's not tremendously active (sports), but he's very fidgety and maintains a perfect weight. My 7 year old daughter takes after me- how much she eats is dictated by how well she likes something, and there's always room for more. She'll play hard, but is also content to sit still for hours while she works on some activity. I (quietly) have to monitor her weight. I've always provided healthy foods, we rarely eat fast food, and they don't have any of the emotional stress I had as a kid, but the two of them clearly have different relationships with food. ???0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
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The prefrontal cortex doesn't fully develop until one is in their 20s, and impacts judgment, decision making and ability to self regulate.
Doesn't mean we shouldn't take responsibility but I absolutely don't expect this from a 5 - 10 year old.0 -
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
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I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?
The adult in charge.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »Are you...are you asking why people are different from each other?
It appears that way
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It has no rhyme or reason to me. I have one younger sister and one oldest brother who have always been trim. Myself and my other brother, the middle children, have struggled with weight. None of us were overweight when we graduated from high school. I have three children, one loves dairy, fish and chicken, one loves red meat, and one loves sugar and bacon. The sugar and bacon lover also likes healthy things, but eats way more sugar and bacon than the other two. The fittest most active one is the sugar loving bacon eater.0
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@OP, you have raised a very good question that I was actually gonna post, but I couldn't think of the right wording for the header. When I was young, I didn't eat very much at all. I was very petite with skinny legs, and I was always very active. I was also a very picky eater. I practically lived on peanut butter and syrup mixed together in a coffee cup. It wasn't until I reached puberty, that my appetite changed, and I couldn't get full. Of course, I started gaining weight. I don't know where I'm going with this, but I understand your question. I'm sorry I don't have an answer though.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?
The adult in charge.
Do you have children? just curious.0 -
Does anyone know of any studies done on this topic that measured amylin production? I have a hypothesis about low amylin production causing low satiety levels.0
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I think that, some of it at least, has to do with parents teaching/showing their children appropriate intake. My brother and I were both healthy weights all throughout middle, junior, and high school. My parents didn't necessarily monitor eating habits, but my mother would always dole out the servings to us for dinner. She never kept a whole lot of munchy food in the cabinets, and I never felt the need to munch. I was never starving, I was usually satisfied. She always let us have second helpings of dinner if we wanted, and never chastised us for eating a lot. I never had weight issues until after high school. When I was on my own, and had no one to portion out my servings for dinner, or not buy snacks; it was like a free for all. I began eating more and more because it tasted so good, and I could buy food whenever I wanted, and all the snacks I wanted. I knew I was overeating, but didn't feel I could stop myself. It was my fault for becoming obese, I was overindulgent and ate all the foods. I would eat until I was sick, and I made friends with people who did the same.
I can't answer the original questions, as I have no clue why some people become obese over others. My brother never became obese, although he did join the army after high school so that may be a factor. It's a great question, I would be curious to see results if anyone ever did multiple studies to find out why.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?
The adult in charge.
Do you have children? just curious.
That's a great question. I found myself incredibly more judgmental of parenting styles until I became one myself.
I had a friend who would give into her children eating junk food and I used to just shake my head at her. Then when I had kids I saw how challenging it is when you have a picky eater. It was a tough phase to have them not beg for treats and have them satisfied with what I cooked.
Similar judgment with pacifiers (and then I experienced a child who refused to give it up) but that's a different subject matter. Lol.
Let's just say... I'm way less judgmental these days. I still try my best to give my children the best habits and resources I have available but I don't SMH at parents who struggle anymore.0 -
mhaskins08 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?
The adult in charge.
Do you have children? just curious.
That's a great question. I found myself incredibly more judgmental of parenting styles until I became one myself.
I had a friend who would give into her children eating junk food and I used to just shake my head at her. Then when I had kids I saw how challenging it is when you have a picky eater. It was a tough phase to have them not beg for treats and have them satisfied with what I cooked.
Similar judgment with pacifiers (and then I experienced a child who refused to give it up) but that's a different subject matter. Lol.
Let's just say... I'm way less judgmental these days. I still try my best to give my children the best habits and resources I have available but I don't SMH at parents who struggle anymore.
+1 Unless I observe a parent being physically or emotionally abuse, I try to withhold judgement and learn something.0 -
I do. I buy the groceries. They don't.queenliz99 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think they were saying it doesn't count for the kids up to ten, that Personal Responsibility begins at eleven years of age. Anyone who has raised a child will tell you that they're not ready to take on the world and be responsible at 11, lol. I'm not agreeing with the comment. But I think that's what they meant.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.
Sorry, sarcasm font was turned off.
Not her fault, not society's fault. Each bears their own is my whole point.
I sure as heck hope Personal responsibility kicks in well before young adulthood. I've got 4.5 decades done and my mother hasn't run my life for 3.5 of them.
Blaming parents is the same as blaming society, IMO. (For kids over 5-10-ish. I got nothing for the parents of an obese 2 yo.)
A 5-10 yo has personal responsibility?? Geez.
I think.
They were saying it begins at 6-11. Yeah, I got it. It blows my mind, but I got it.
I'm saying that at that age they put the food in their own mouth. I present it but I cannot make them eat it. I also cannot make them NOT eat. They are tall enough to get in cabinets and the fridge. Pour a bowl of cereal, etc. It's very different than nursing a baby or feeding a toddler, man those days were easy to control the food! I want them to eat the broccoli or chili with beans. They don't. Who's "responsible"?
The adult in charge.
Do you have children? just curious.
0 -
My kids - raised in the same house with the same rules/attitudes around food and the same meals served to them, and basically the same behaviors during pregnancy as well as the same treatment as babies, are totally different when it comes to this, so I've often wondered the same thing.
My 6 year old son loves really healthy food - he will ask for things like raw vegetables (no dip!), kidney beans, fruit, etc. I asked him what he wanted for dinner recently and he requested "steak and broccoli." He loves kale. He's weird. Of course he likes candy as much as the next kid, but overall he eats a really balanced diet. He also self-regulates his intake to the point where I wonder if he's eating enough sometimes, especially as it relates to supporting his activity level - he's really active and athletic. He also has very very low body fat and a lot of muscle (for a child). My husband is a bigger guy now (more of a middle-age spread sort of deal; he was very fit through his 20s/30s) but he says all of that is a lot like him when he was younger, both in behavior and body type.
My 4 year old daughter would eat nothing but carbs if I let her. She doesn't care for meat very much, and we're working on fruits and vegetables but that's still a bit of a struggle. I've caught her sneaking snacks after she's been told no. Also, sometimes it seems like if I kept putting food that she likes in front of her she would just keep eating it indefinitely. We have to cut her off, she never stops on her own. She was like this as an infant, also - breastfeeding her was a real struggle because she needed SO MUCH milk, but I don't know if that's a chicken or an egg thing because she also would never take a pacifier and so nursed (or cried for a bottle of breastmilk at daycare) for comfort. But, she ALWAYS finished a bottle, never left one drop behind. She's active - we encourage physical activity and she seems to enjoy it - but she's sitting right on the borderline of being overweight (children above the 85th percentile in BMI are medically considered overweight; she's in the 84th percentile). She's very much like I was as a child and even now - she's even shaped like I am, in that most of her body fat is distributed to her lower body.
Based 0% on science and 100% on my anecdotal n=1 personal experience, I think that while how a child is raised obviously plays a huge role, it would be reckless to not give significant weight to the sides of genetics. From the day they were born, my children ate differently. We try very hard to have consistent rules and attitudes with our kids, and yet they remain different to this day. I saw someone mention something about taste - I've noticed that my daughter and I have very similar taste preferences as well - we both LOVE lemons/acid and really spicy food, and this is a small child! - so I've also sometimes wondered if maybe our taste buds impact how we eat - maybe we prefer the stronger tastes because we can't taste food as well, which also drives us to eat more? Who knows. But it's WAY more complicated than "kids forced to join the clean plate club/were served too much mac and cheese/drank fortified bottles/whatever will or won't overeat as adults," without a doubt.
ETA: We do our best to talk to BOTH of our kids (the same way) about health. We encourage foods that "build strong muscles" (never referring to fat) and stress that some foods are "treats," only to be eaten occasionally, but they're certainly allowed in moderation. We encourage exercise and stress that that's important for strong bodies as well. Both our kids listen, and seem to understand...they just apply it to themselves differently, or selectively remember what they've been taught.0
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