"Kids shouldn't worry about their weight or dieting." Opinio

k2d4p

I read this and I must say that this statement really bothers me. I disagree with it. I think a kids weight and diet should be not only talked about, but I think there should be a constant education going on about it. I think that is how kids get to the point where they are obese.

My feeling is a early as there is a problem indicated, it should be talked about. You are never to young to learn, even if it is only by watching. My son is 3 1/2 and I talk to him all the time about healthy food choices and not eating to too much. I even let him cook with me sometimes. Of course, I don't think it should be harped on or shouted. I think there is always an age appropriate way to say things.

I think if we started younger with talking about weight and diet, there wouldn't be as much of an issue when they are older. This, in my opinion, is a topic that needs to be brought up with our kids.

What do you all think?

bigredhearts

agreed 100%! its sad to see the younger generations following the habits of the older generations and what we as average americans eat on the daily. and it is only us (the older generations) that can hopefully lead the younger people and kids in a better direction for their health and quality of life .

shonasteele

I agree. It's all in how you frame it. I totally get that you have to watch kids & dieting and how it affects their body image and self-esteem, but that doesn't mean that you can't teach them about what's healthy and what's not and how it will affect their bodies down the road (and not just weight, but hearts, bones, skin, etc.).

NeuroticVirgo

I think because of body image issues in some places, the topic of weight (or weight loss) with children is hard to bring up.

I 100% agree it should be something approached early on, but not so much as a weight & dieting. More in a Eat Healthy and Exercise topics. If they are young and learn to like exercise & playing (instead of watching TV or playing Video games 24/7)...and learn to eat right, and actually eat their veggies & fruits instead of make yucky faces at it, not eat it, and still get dessert.

When weight becomes an issue, I do think the parents should talk to their kids about it. But it can be hard to bring it up without making them feel bad about themselves. You might just say something like "The doctor says we need to talk about your weight"....and they could take it as "My mom thinks I'm a fat slob". Not so great.

There are just so many factors around kids, especially when the parents themselves are not healthy or fit. Its hard to say "eat healthier and lose some weight" to the kids, if the parents are still watching TV and eating bon-bons.

I also have to add, that depending on the individual, focusing on their weight can lead to problems with their self image, or even eating disorders if its not brought up correctly.

dumb_blondes_rock

My 6 your old cousin weighs 89 pounds, and my 11 yr old cousin weighs 160....that is after they both lost 15 pounds from living with us for only 2 months....their mother is 320 pounds, and she lost 25 pounds living with us for 2 months.....but she told me she wants her kids to be proud of their bodies and no one is allowed to say anything to them about them being fat. I get it, because you don't want your kids to have a complex.....but there are ways to word it. My cousin barely fit into his size 10t church clothes....so instead of saying" man you need to lose weight" i told him "we need to exercise more so you can fit into your suit better" and i would always tell him about exercising and I would have him run around the yard like 10 times and he would forget what number he was on so he probably ran like 18 laps lol.....but i do think its important to talk to kids about "healthy choices" and if you are going to eat that big peice of choc cake, we need to exercise when we get home....or just little things like that. without using trigger words like "diet" or "fat"
And whenever we would order pizza, the 6 yr old could eat 6 peices by himself....i was mortified when i saw that...i ate four and i was STUFFED.....so whever we had pizza i would make them eat a huge salad before hand and tell them that if you want to eat something unhealthy like pizza or fast food you need to fill up mostly with healthy stuff first/

thank god they dont' live with us anymore, because i wanted to murder them like everyday, but a part of me is sad because i just know that by 20 both of them most likely will have diabetes like their mom, my grandma and my uncle....

Also when they get old enough....it should be like "do you think that eating that corn dog is the healthiest of choices?" and if they say yes(because kids are smart aleks like that) then ask them why they think its healthy....and offer them something else, but let them voice how they think about food so you can educate them on it.

ChChCharlie

I agree with the statement in so far as if you are brought up eating healthily and being active and carry on this lifestyle then it's not an issue at all. But that's not always the case as many parents don't fully understand good eating habits themselves, so education and healthy choices in schools can be beneficial.

I did not have problems with my weight until I was an adult and I knew exactly where I was going wrong throughout my weight gain. But this is not the same for everyone.

LareishaH

I would have to disagree. I think that children worrying about their weight and dieting could lead to psychological problems and eating disorders. In my opinion it is the parents duty to make sure children eat a healthy, balanced meal. It is okay for parents to inform their children of the benefits of eating certain items (as well as the disadvantages of eating certain foods). However, kids should enjoy the tender years of being stress-free. [Just my opinion]

miller32807

I think it should not be stressed to a point where a child is self conscience of themselves, no matter what their weight or health because then it can create unhealthy diet habits. But I do agree that it is something that needs to be understood from an early age. Not necessarily the weight part though, just overall good health. If parents teach their children young that healthy foods/portions are a good thing and get out and move with them, then the weight most likely won't be an issue anyway. For those children that are overweight, I don't think the term "dieting" should be used, but that they need to develop a "healthier lifestyle." The word diet brings about thoughts of struggling with small portions and exercising beyond belief to lose the weight and then once the weight is gone, you go back to your normal ways. I know the term diet actually refers to the foods we eat, etc, but when you are overweight, it is such a bad word.

So I guess I somewhat agree that kids shouldn't worry about their weight or dieting, because they should worry more about eating healthy and exercising. And if a child is overweight, then the parent needs to work with the child and encourage these things so that the child can lose weight at a healthy rate and not become obsessed with their weight/looks.

Missy123556

I think that healthy food choices should be talked about at home, and if a child is obviously overweight it needs to be addressed. But I have a huge problem with it being taught in schools. I didn't have a care in the world about my body image until 7th grade heatlh class. They group everyone together (underweight, overweight, normal weight) and tell them about bmi and weight gain and how to eat. I was on the very low end of "normal" weight range then but started obsessing about the tiny amount of fat on my belly when I sat down and it "rolled". Starting then and through highschool, I struggled with eating disorders and became underweight, and I seriously attribute alot of it to that health class.

hbrekkaas

Kids should never have to worry about weight or dieting, not at a young age. If they have to worry about their weight, then the parents are doing something wrong. Its up to us as parents to make sure that they are getting food that is good for them, in the right amounts, and that they are getting out from in front of the tv and getting some exercise.

I do think that kids should be taught about why good foods are good, and why bad foods are bad, and learn about moderation. That chips etc are fine to have one in awhile but they aren't ok to have all the time as a snack because they don't make you feel good and they don't help out your body. Not because they will make you fat, but because they offer nothing to you.

I am shocked at how many overweight kids are in my daughters class this year. I really didn't notice it before, but shes 9 now and in grade 3, there is quite a few kids with weight issues. There are so many pre-packaged convinience foods now that are so easy to buy and throw into their lunch kit for the day, but they are such crappy foods.

Brandicaloriecountess

I agree but it is a fine line.

Spitfirex007

I seen a girl the other day that was no older then 14, and she was already near morbidity obesity. I wanted to smack her parents upside the head. So I think it's very important to teach kids how to eat and live healthy at an early age.

bizco

I think it can be dangerous to talk about it so much. It could lead to kids having food issues, eating disorders, low self-image or worse later in life. It's better to just raise them on a healthy diet so they learn by doing. It's great to involve them in the cooking and even shopping for healthy foods. But if you forbid them from having any sweets or treats because you say "it's not healthy", well that could lead to problems. Kids learn by example. Practice healthy eating in the household and leave it at that.

yiffanarff

Kids should never have to worry about weight or dieting, not at a young age. If they have to worry about their weight, then the parents are doing something wrong. Its up to us as parents to make sure that they are getting food that is good for them, in the right amounts, and that they are getting out from in front of the tv and getting some exercise.

I agree with this. I do think we should be teaching our children about healthy lifestyles from the get-go, but that doesn't mean harping on about calories and exercise. Parents should be responsible for what they're children are eating, and they should be paying attention if their children spend 7 hours a day in front of the television instead of, say, joining a sports team, or going to a park.

When I grew up, my mom cooked pretty healthy most of the time. When I wanted to know why we couldn't go to Mcdonald's more, or have french fries with dinner more often, my mom explained that these things weren't that good for you if you ate them all the time, so they were treats. I think this is the approach that should be taken with children. Granted, in this day and age, with 9 year olds being diagnosed as pre-diabetics, you do have to address that issue. But in a perfect world, it wouldn't come up because parents wouldn't let things get to that point.

So yeah, teach your kids about healthy eating, get them involved with sports, encourage them to be active, absolutely. But I have seen 90 pound 12 year olds complaining that they need to go on a diet because they are "so fat", and 14 year old lamenting that "they only got to the gym 3 times this week" and felt "so lazy". I think this is really sad. Pre-teens should have to worry about counting calories. I certainly never did. When I was a kid, (which really wasn't that long ago, I haven't even hit 30 yet) - no one had gym memberships. We got outside, signed up for track and field, basketball, hockey, went rollerblading, etc. I think we should be raising our children in a healthy environment, and as they get a little bit older, they can learn all the reasons they should be thankful that their parents were so awesome.

k2d4p

I agree. It's all in how you frame it. I totally get that you have to watch kids & dieting and how it affects their body image and self-esteem, but that doesn't mean that you can't teach them about what's healthy and what's not and how it will affect their bodies down the road (and not just weight, but hearts, bones, skin, etc.).

Amen.

Angel1066

I totally agree as a mother of an 8 year old, i explain to her about healthy choices. I do let her eat things like McDonald's on occasion but she actually prefers healthily food and will have fruit as a snack instead of crisp.It also helps that here in the UK we are now teaching kids about nutrition and exercise at a very young age in our schools. Unfortunately it's seems we started too late as there are very young kids here who are extremely overweight with parents who seem think it's "puppy fat", i hate that phrase fat is fat and and overweight child is not cute.

Elizabeth_C34

Put the focus on healthy lifestyles including time for outdoor activities (sports, going for walks, playing outside with other kids, playing teeball in the yard or at a local park with dad/mom/sister/brother, etc.) as well as good food choices.

I was really fortunate to have was a family that believed in kids being outdoors and having fun away from the TV and computer. Most of my childhood was spent outside playing touch football with the neighbor's kids (mostly boys) and goofing off riding bikes and rollerblades with my girl friends when I hit pre-teen and teen years. The unfortunate part was that we never ate healthy and I never learned that part of it until very recently in life. After the activity level dropped in college, the pounds started coming.

Kids pick up so much from their parents when it comes to eating and exercise habits. Parents need to buck up and learn to live a healthy life in order to show their children that life. Talk is cheap, but a child seeing their parents and family with good habits will pick up on it and making those healthy decisions part of the family routine makes it even more potent to a child.

Focusing on body or looks-related motivators is a very slippery slope. Instead, the focus should be on health and quality of life.

helloburger

Its good to make kids aware that healthy food is good for them, but at such an age surely its the parents. Its the parents with the money, and who go food shopping. If there is unhealthy food in the house it is only the parents to blame the children (unless they are old enough for pocket money and can go to the shops themselves) as children don't buy the food themselves. Its all about example, if you eat well, your kids eat well.

deeharley

So I guess I somewhat agree that kids shouldn't worry about their weight or dieting, because they should worry more about eating healthy and exercising. And if a child is overweight, then the parent needs to work with the child and encourage these things so that the child can lose weight at a healthy rate and not become obsessed with their weight/looks.

^^This. I have a son who is considered chunky - yikes finding clothes for him in the boys department. But he is active and does eat healthy food most of the time. And while we have been careful about how we word things, to him, he is aware that his choices could have a positive affect on his life. I also had two brothers and a brother-in-law who were roughly the same shape at his age and grew up to be lean adults. So, we're not too stressed about it.

littlemili

Kids should never have to worry about weight or dieting, not at a young age. If they have to worry about their weight, then the parents are doing something wrong.

Kids get bullied from a very young age about their weight. it would be more realistic to just tell the kid, whether it is a teacher or a parents who has to do it, WHY they are being picked on and explain how to remedy it. It's lovely to think you can shield kids from the reality of obesity but they are already learning about it the hard way in the playground. And getting diabetes and high BP in their teens...sure it would be great if all parents took complete responsibility for just feeing their kids properly but that will never happen, evidently, and I think kids should be told honestly about the issues that come from obesity from a young age. Look at how young anorexia can start, it is often seen pre-teen now. Kids can "diet" by themselves when they have very basic information about how and why to do it, and it's generally the exact people who don't need it who use it.

If kids were sat down at school and taught about what a healthy weight is, how to achieve it, and there was no stigma attached to being young and fat because they all could have personal control over their weight, a lot of progress could be made and a lot of EDs avoided. EDs often develop because of an inability to openly discuss weight issues or perceptions. That's what happened in my case. Had I felt able to diet by myself I would not have developed an ED at age 12, and I know that if I had an understanding at that age of how to lose weight normally I would have done it. As it was, I felt marginalised because I perceived myself as fat and no-one wanted to talk about it, so I "dieted" in the only way I understood it.

Better to tell a kid "you're fat, but it's ok, and we'll fix it together" than leave it because they might get an ED. Chances are if you leave it they'll have pretty severe emotional issues anyway...

leaw24

I do agree it's a huge issue and kids need to be educated.

However:

There really really IS such a thing as puppy fat. Ok, not kids who are morbidly obese, obviously. But both my sister and I went through a stage between the ages of 10 - 13 where we grew 'out' before we grew 'up', and were just over what was considered a 'normal' BMI (you have to remember BMIs are generally calculated for adults, not children!). I was a bit of a little round ball (!)and it was nothing to do with eating more unhealthily or doing less exercise than previously - and the second I started growing upwards it all shifted out, evened up and fell into place! I'm sure it's genetic as my mum (from the age of 17 a UK10 and still that in her early fifties!) had the same thing.

The fact I'm on the chubbier side now is all down to getting lazy food and exercise wise once I left home and went to Uni!!