[ Print this article ] [ Send this article ]
by Dr. Jessica E. Simmonds, Ph. D
The percentage of children who are overweight has almost doubled over the past 20 years, and is now being viewed as an epidemic in this country. Today, children are spending more time sitting in front of computer screens, spending too many hours watching TV, and less time involved with physical activities. Children are also consuming more high fat, salty snacks, drinking more soft drinks, and eating less fresh fruits and vegetables. Type 2 diabetes, which in the past was mostly found in adults over the age of 40, is now being found in children and being linked to childhood obesity.
Overweight children also suffer emotionally. As most of us can remember from our own childhoods, it is a time when we want to fit in and be a part of the group, rather than standing out as being different. For the overweight child, there is no way of hiding a difference which often makes him/her the target of cruel teasing and discrimination. Anti-fat attitudes may begin in children as young as 3-years-old. In one study in which kindergarten children were shown pictures of "chubby" children, 86% expressed an aversion to "chubbiness" and tended to describe the chubby children as being mean, as possessing negative characteristics, and as being undesirable playmates. Other findings showed that overweight children between the ages of 12 to 16 years were more often found to be the victims of group aggression. Overweight children may also be judged more critically by adults who see them as older than their age, and have expectations beyond the child's developmental capacity. The stigmatization of overweight children leads to feelings of shame, contributing to low self-esteem, depression and poor body image.
Although parents may not be able to shield their child from teasing and discrimination from others, it is essential that they provide a supportive, loving, and accepting environment at home. Children need to know that they are loved regardless of their size. Making criticisms or shaming children about their size can lead to children turning toward food as a way of comforting themselves. Food becomes a friend, and children begin to turn away from contact with peers, parents, and other adults, leading to isolation. Teaching children that theirs is a good body will encourage them to want to keep it healthy. Help your child identify his/her strength, talents, and interests, and focus on the positive aspects of your child and not just the weight problem. Harm can result when children receive messages that suggest their personal worth and respect from others is related to their body size.
Research suggests that when the whole family focuses on making positive lifestyle changes and creating an accepting environment, that healthy changes will occur. When parents serve as healthy role-models, their children will follow their example. The idea is not to single out the overweight child as being different from the rest of the family, or having different nutritional needs. All members of the family should be served the same healthy food and participate in physical activities. Mealtimes should be a pleasant experience with conversation and sharing, and not a time to talk about weight. The goal is to create lifelong healthy eating and physical activity habits which allows the overweight child to grow into his/her natural body weight. Rather than losing weight, it may be more beneficial if a child can maintain a current weight through healthy eating, and slim down as he/she grows in height.
Placing children on "diets" can be detrimental to their health and can have opposite effects to weight loss. Typically, this causes weight loss and regain, or weight cycling which itself can be a health risk. Frequent dieting puts youth at risk for obesity or eating disorders. Parent's attitudes and beliefs about food can also be transmitted to their children. Parents need to stop "dieting" themselves, stop talking about their hips, stomachs, and thighs, and realize that their own attitudes and behaviors may contribute to their children's eating and weight problems.
Overweight children may eat for many different reasons other than hunger, and often have lost touch with the ability to respond to their own internal cues of hunger and satiety. It is essential that the overweight child develops the capacity to recognize those cues, and begins to regulate their own hunger level. It is often difficult for parents to trust that their overweight child will, given nutritious food choices and a supportive environment, eat the amount that they need. Parents need to structure regular mealtimes and snacks, but let their child decide how much to eat. Becoming the "food police" will lead to frustration, and may lead to your child eating in secrecy. It is also helpful not to define some foods as "good" and some as "bad". Labeling some foods as bad or forbidden can make them more desirous, leading to sneaking and binge-eating of these products. All foods are good, but some need to be eaten more in moderation.
The Jewish community is not immune to the problem of overweight in children and teens. There may be truth and even a sense of pride connected to the stereotype of Jews placing more value on the intellect versus the physical, but creating a balance between the two is essential for overall health. More children in the Orthodox community are being diagnosed with obesity, and eating disorders among Orthodox young women are on the rise. One physician connected with the Yeshiva Health Task Force stated that recognizing our obligation to care for our health is the halachic (correct according to Jewish law) thing to do. He goes on to say that the Torah clearly states that we must take responsibility for protecting our physical and mental health.
Opportunities to teach children about nutrition can be incorporated into the celebration of Jewish holidays. For example, harvest holidays such as Shavuot and Sukkot can be occasions to teach about the vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and vegetables, Passover can focus on grains, and Hanukkah on oils and fats. Whether helping address the problem of overweight or trying to prevent it, raising children's awareness of healthy nutrition and physical activity can be a fun experience for the whole family, leading to the establishment of life-long healthy patterns.