Addressing the Obesity Issue

Trying to fix the problem of overweight children can become a sticky issue. Parents often don’t want input from outsiders. They are taken aback or may feel guilty when someone mentions that their toddler is a bit on the heavy side. Even some doctors are a bit on the reserved side when dealing with the issue, for fear of upsetting their patients.

But to truly tackle the obesity problem with children in this country, people will need to move away from their fears and reservations about addressing the issue honestly.

Fathers must realize:

• Everyone from grandparents to daycare centers and babysitters has an influence on the eating habits of toddlers


• As they move into being school age, schools also have an influence on what children eat and how physically active they are


• Parents should be proactive about encouraging schools to limit the unhealthy food options available to children

“Pediatricians follow growth carefully on standard growth curves,” Doctors say. “Parents should be aware that their doctors are doing everyone a favor by pointing out disturbing trends in weight increase and, hopefully, doing things to combat this.”