Re: Pediatricians enlisted to combat childhood obesity

[Roger Schlafly]

"JG" > wrote
> Pediatricians enlisted to combat childhood obesity
> Pediatricians can urge parents to limit children's television watching
> to two hours a day, encourage exercise, and promote dietary alternatives
> to high-fat snacks and soft drinks at home and at school.

I think the peds are a little mixed up about whether fat in foods is
a problem. Soft drinks are very low-fat snacks.

> In many cases, one or both parents may be obese, and pediatricians
> should consider genetic factors that can predispose children to gaining
> excessive amounts of weight.

Consider it how? I don't think that such genetic factors have even
been identified. What is the ped going to say -- "You're too fat.
If your husband is also a fatso, then you shouldn't have any more
kids because they'll probably become obese also."??

> Just telling women to breastfeed not enough: study

What's next -- breastfeeding mandates?

[JG]

"Roger Schlafly" > wrote in message
t...
> "JG" > wrote

> > In many cases, one or both parents may be obese, and pediatricians
> > should consider genetic factors that can predispose children to
gaining
> > excessive amounts of weight.

> Consider it how? I don't think that such genetic factors have even
> been identified. What is the ped going to say -- "You're too fat.
> If your husband is also a fatso, then you shouldn't have any more
> kids because they'll probably become obese also."??

I hope anyone to whom such a comment was made would shoot back, "You're
an arrogant <fill in your favorite profane epithet>. If your spouse is
also..."

> > Just telling women to breastfeed not enough: study

> What's next -- breastfeeding mandates?

Hehehe. Maybe some peds just want to check out the, er, mammary glands:
"Women need to be coached at length on how..."
>
>

[Roger Schlafly]

"JG" > wrote
> I hope anyone to whom such a comment was made would shoot back, "You're
> an arrogant <fill in your favorite profane epithet>. If your spouse is
> also..."

It could be worse than getting a condescending lecture about fat kids.
Here in California, the hospitals do stomach-shrinking surgery on
fat kids. Sometimes even "irreversible stomach stapling".
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/6455652.htm

[Jeff Utz]

Obesity is a well-documented and growing problem in the US and other
countries. Obesity leads to several well-documented problems, like premature
heart-attacks, strokes, arthritis, diabetes as well as to higher health-care
costs.

Will you please provide some better ideas on how to deal with this problem?

Children benefit from breastfeeding. Breast-fed children has fewer colds,
fewer allergies and fewer ear infections. Breast feeding also increases
mother-child bonding. What do you recommend pediatricians and other docs do?
Aren't pediatricians paid partly to offer advice? No one is forcing anyone
to breast-feed or do anything she doesn't want to.

Jeff

[Jeff Utz]

"Roger Schlafly" > wrote in message
et...
> "JG" > wrote
> > I hope anyone to whom such a comment was made would shoot back, "You're
> > an arrogant <fill in your favorite profane epithet>. If your spouse is
> > also..."
>
> It could be worse than getting a condescending lecture about fat kids.
> Here in California, the hospitals do stomach-shrinking surgery on
> fat kids. Sometimes even "irreversible stomach stapling".
> http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/6455652.htm

Incorrect. The hospitals will do surgery on OBESE kids. Not just fat kids.
Kids who are so fat that their weight is a major health problem.

So what are you suggesting? That hospitals are to tell parents of obese kids
that the parents are not allowed to choose surgery if that is what the
parents want?

Jeff

[Bill Fischer]

Roger Schlafly wrote:

> I think the peds are a little mixed up about whether fat in foods is
> a problem. Soft drinks are very low-fat snacks.

Apparently, there is a relationship between amount of juice/soft drink
consumption and obesity.

[PF Riley]

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 20:33:00 GMT, "Roger Schlafly"
> wrote:

>"JG" > wrote
>> Pediatricians enlisted to combat childhood obesity
>> Pediatricians can urge parents to limit children's television watching
>> to two hours a day, encourage exercise, and promote dietary alternatives
>> to high-fat snacks and soft drinks at home and at school.
>
>I think the peds are a little mixed up about whether fat in foods is
>a problem. Soft drinks are very low-fat snacks.

You think wrong, moron. Perhaps if you actually read the Policy
Statement you'd see that the Committee on Nutrition refers to soft
drinks as among the "energy-dense, nutrient-poor food products."
Editorial errors or poor writing by the Reuters Health staff do not
reflect on the pediatricians' statement, which is well written and
sound. When you read a newspaper headlines about the "flesh eating
virus," do you proclaim that microbiologists are "a little mixed up?"

Besides, Reuters probably meant "[high-fat snacks] and [soft drinks]."

>> In many cases, one or both parents may be obese, and pediatricians
>> should consider genetic factors that can predispose children to gaining
>> excessive amounts of weight.
>
>Consider it how? I don't think that such genetic factors have even
>been identified. What is the ped going to say -- "You're too fat.
>If your husband is also a fatso, then you shouldn't have any more
>kids because they'll probably become obese also."??

Here we go again. You idiots (Roger and JG, specifically) ridicule the
Policy Statement when you don't even understand it (and clearly
haven't even read it), then invent potential patient encounters based
on your misunderstanding, and even get angry about them when they're
all part of your ridiculous fantasies. You can keep jacking each other
off with what you think this is all about but you just look foolish to
the rest of us.

Roger, as usual, probably thinks he looks smart by "questioning"
statements made by pediatricians when in fact his questions stem from
pure ignorance. He has no medical training and does not practice
pediatrics, yet he questions a statement made by pediatricians
addressed to other pediatricians about how to consider genetic factors
in obesity, asking how to do so. Roger, perhaps you don't know how to,
not because, as you "think" that no such factors have been identified,
but perhaps it's because (a) you're not a pediatrician, and/or (b)
you're an idiot.

Here's an excerpt from the Policy Statement (ask me for help with the
big words, Roger):

>Genetic conditions known to be associated with propensity for obesity
>include Prader-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and Cohen
>syndrome. In these conditions, early diagnosis allows collaboration
>with subspecialists, such as geneticists, endocrinologists,
>behavioralists, and nutritionists, to optimize growth and development
>while promoting healthy eating and activity patterns from a young age.
>For example, data suggest that growth hormone may improve some of the
>signs of Prader-Willi syndrome.49–51
>
>It has long been recognized that obesity "runs in families"—high birth
>weight, maternal diabetes, and obesity in family members all are
>factors—but there are likely to be multiple genes and a strong
>interaction between genetics and environment that influence the degree
>of adiposity.47,48,52,53 For young children, if 1 parent is obese, the
>odds ratio is approximately 3 for obesity in adulthood, but if both
>parents are obese, the odds ratio increases to more than 10. Before 3
>years of age, parental obesity is a stronger predictor of obesity in
>adulthood than the child’s weight status.54 Such observations have
>important implications for recognition of risk and routine
>anticipatory guidance that is directed toward healthy eating and
>activity patterns in families.

Example: If both parents are clearly over 300 lbs., but are pleased
that little Johnny isn't fat yet at age 3, and are happy to feed him
garbage because they think he won't be, they need more guidance.
Conversely, if two skinny parents bring in a slender 3-year-old child
who still drinks whole milk, I don't think the child needs to switch
to 2% milk. You see, Roger, I am considering genetic factors and
tailoring my anticipatory guidance appropriately.

I am glad to see this policy statement, as I am the only pediatrician
I know who plots every patient's BMI and shows it to the family. Our
questionnaire has a question, "Are you concerned about your child's
weight or eating habits?" Usually when I plot the BMI and it comes out
high, I look over at that question and it's invariably marked "Yes."

What is particularly telling is that when the BMI is climbing before
age 5 (it usually decreases and hits its nadir after age 5), this is a
strong indicator of adult obesity, even if the BMI is still "normal."
I will show parents the growth chart and indicate how the BMI usually
goes given the pattern so far, and for many it is an eye-opener. Most
obese parents in my practice are interested in keeping their kids from
being obese and are not, contrary to JG's belief, insulted that I
would talk about it. It would be ridiculous for me to start talking to
the parents about it only after they become obese, as it is far, far
more difficult to lose weight than to prevent excess weight gain in
the first place.

By the way, JG, I had a dad who was new to my practice today ask me
why I didn't remind his son to wear a bicycle helmet at the end of his
check-up today. I guess I slipped a little in my insulting routine!
I'll have to be more careful!

PF

[Roger Schlafly]

"PF Riley" > wrote
> >It has long been recognized that obesity "runs in families"-high birth
> >weight, maternal diabetes, and obesity in family members all are
> >factors-but there are likely to be multiple genes and a strong ...
> to 2% milk. You see, Roger, I am considering genetic factors and
> tailoring my anticipatory guidance appropriately.

From your previous messages on the subject, I would have
guessed that you subscribe to the environmental theory -- that
fat parents teach lousy eating habit to kids, and that is what
makes the kids fat.

> By the way, JG, I had a dad who was new to my practice today ask me
> why I didn't remind his son to wear a bicycle helmet at the end of his
> check-up today. I guess I slipped a little in my insulting routine!
> I'll have to be more careful!

Maybe he was being sarcastic. When my dentist fails to give me
a lecture on flossing my teeth, I wonder if something is wrong with him.

[PF Riley]

On Tue, 05 Aug 2003 06:08:32 GMT, "Roger Schlafly"
> wrote:

>"PF Riley" > wrote
>> >It has long been recognized that obesity "runs in families"-high birth
>> >weight, maternal diabetes, and obesity in family members all are
>> >factors-but there are likely to be multiple genes and a strong ...
>> to 2% milk. You see, Roger, I am considering genetic factors and
>> tailoring my anticipatory guidance appropriately.
>
>From your previous messages on the subject, I would have
>guessed that you subscribe to the environmental theory -- that
>fat parents teach lousy eating habit to kids, and that is what
>makes the kids fat.

It is usually a combination of both environmental and genetic factors.

PF

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