Parents blame selves for children's obesity

[JG]

Well, whaddaya know; there might still be hope for our society! <g>

www.reuters.com, Health eLine, August 11, 2003

Parents blame selves for children's obesity

Last Updated: 2003-08-11 16:34:13 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Brad Dorfman

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Parents, not fast-food restaurants, are most
responsible for the rise of obesity in American children, a survey said
on Tuesday.

Two out of three U.S. households surveyed by ACNielsen said the parent
or guardian was to blame for obesity in children 17 and under, with
fast-food restaurants blamed by only 10 percent and food manufacturers
named by only 1 percent.

The child received the most blame from 9 percent of the 22,000
households that responded, while advertising, television, radio and
other media received 7 percent of the blame, according to ACNielsen.

Obesity, especially among children, has become a high profile topic in
recent months, with lawsuits filed against fast-food restaurants and
food-makers.

Schools are also being pressured to remove vending machines carrying
sugar-laden sodas and fat-filled snacks. In the United States, 61
percent of adults aged 20 to 74 and about a quarter of children are
considered overweight or obese.

More than three out of four households said schools should adopt new
policies to address child obesity, according to ACNielsen, a unit of VNU
NV. Forty-one percent called for an outright ban on the sale or
consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages in schools, while 38
percent said they should not be sold but that students should be allowed
to bring them.

Even when allowed to name more than one culprit for childhood obesity,
parents took the bulk of the blame, with 86 percent of households saying
parents or guardians have at least some responsibility, while fast food
restaurants were named 60 percent of the time. Manufacturers came in at
the bottom of the list, named by only 18 percent of households.

"Many manufacturers were somewhat relieved to see how low the score was
for households placing blame on manufacturers," Todd Hale, senior vice
president at ACNielsen Consumer Insights, said in an interview.

Ninety percent of those surveyed were either very concerned or somewhat
concerned with child obesity, the survey said.

[Jeff Utz]

I hope you are correct. An equally accurate title for article would be
"Parents blame other parents for letting the other parents' kids become
obese."

There is nothing there that suggests that parents of obese kids recognize
their kids as obese or that they blame themselves when their kids are obese.

Before parents take action on something, they have to be convinced that
there is something wrong.

Jeff

> Copyrighted article illegally copied deleted.>

[Roger Schlafly]

"JG" > wrote
> Even when allowed to name more than one culprit for childhood obesity,

I would have mentioned changes in our society that make it more
unlikely that kids will walk to school, ride a bike, play sports
during school recess, and participate in other athletics.

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[JG]

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

> > Even when allowed to name more than one culprit for childhood
obesity,

> I would have mentioned changes in our society that make it more
> unlikely that kids will walk to school, ride a bike, play sports
> during school recess, and participate in other athletics.

Good point, but couldn't--wouldn't--parents also blame themselves (or be
blamed), to a large extent, for their kids' lack of exercise? Some
parents may be paranoid about allowing their kids to walk to school, or
even to play outside or ride a bike, unless there's a trusted adult to
supervise (and put helmets on the kids, invariably incorrectly? <g>)
them, and such monitors have, IME, become rather hard to find these days
when so few parents are home (anyone else have a mom who seemed to be
constantly shooing him/her outside to play and "get some fresh air"?
<g>) and surrogate caregivers are often charged with supervising many
kids, of varied ages and interests, at one time. (<--not-so-subtle dig
at daycare centers <g>)

As for playing during recess, I suppose litigation-wary school
administrators are largely to blame.

While there might be less "unorganized" (spontaneous, kids-initiated)
physical activity (e.g., playing of games involving lots of
running/movement, bike riding just for the fun of it) taking place (I
think there is), there's certainly been an increase in the
number/variety of *organized* (by governmental bodies such as
city/county park and recreation departments as well as by schools
[especially for girls, thanks to Title IX]) opportunities to participate
in sports/athletics. I imagine one or more constraints--time, travel,
participation/uniform fees--might preclude many parents from availing
themselves of these, however.

Just as kids frequently copy their parents' dietary/eating habits, so
too do they (IMO) echo their parents' exercise/physical activity levels.
[I have seen, however, many slugs, er, inactive parents who get their
kids involved in sports for reasons other than health, e.g., to create a
"more rounded"--not literally!--school/college applicant (I'm sure the
prospect of an athletic scholarship has also crossed many minds) or to
live out, vicariously, one of their own fantasies (I see this in a lot
of folks who put golf clubs/tennis rackets in their young kids' hands).]

[Jeff Utz]

"JG" > wrote in message
t...
> "Roger Schlafly" > wrote in message
> et...
> > "JG" > wrote
>
> > > Even when allowed to name more than one culprit for childhood
> obesity,
>
> > I would have mentioned changes in our society that make it more
> > unlikely that kids will walk to school, ride a bike, play sports
> > during school recess, and participate in other athletics.
>
> Good point, but couldn't--wouldn't--parents also blame themselves (or be
> blamed), to a large extent, for their kids' lack of exercise?

Do the parents perceive lack of excercise as a problem?

(...)

> As for playing during recess, I suppose litigation-wary school
> administrators are largely to blame.

Don't forget those sue-happy people, the lawyers and the adminitrators who
don't provide safe places to play.


> Just as kids frequently copy their parents' dietary/eating habits, so
> too do they (IMO) echo their parents' exercise/physical activity levels.

How true. Or their parents' inactivity levels.

Jeff

(...)

[Wendy Marsden]

Jeff Utz > wrote:
> I hope you are correct. An equally accurate title for article would be
> "Parents blame other parents for letting the other parents' kids become
> obese."

> There is nothing there that suggests that parents of obese kids recognize
> their kids as obese or that they blame themselves when their kids are obese.

My personal experience is that 95% of the obese parents of obese children
will tell you that it's genetics, i.e., not their fault at all.

Wendy

[Wendy Marsden]

JG > wrote:
> Some
> parents may be paranoid about allowing their kids to walk to school, or
> even to play outside or ride a bike, unless there's a trusted adult to
> supervise (and put helmets on the kids, invariably incorrectly? <g>)
> them

Speaking as a parent of children ages 12, 10 and 4, there is enormous
societal pressure not to allow my children to do anything that could be
considered unsafe by the most paranoid person. I've been spoken to
several times for making my children walk the .3 miles to elementary
school (gasp, unattended by adults but with either their sibling or an
older neighbor kid).

I've also been told at least four times that my children ought not to be
allowed to walk our puppy because the puppy isn't well-enough trained not
to chase a squirrel or cat and the kids get their arms yanked and
sometimes get knocked down. I totally agree that they get puppy-induced
injuries: my ten year old son had a bloody scrape on his knee just last
week. But it's the first one I recall this summer and I just can't get
all het up about a 10 year old boy having a scraped knee from playing with
his dog outside. I did put the puppy in her third round of puppy training
hoping to teach her to heal, though.

I make accomodations to avoid serious injury where I deem them
appropriate. The 10 year old still uses a booster seat. We decided not
to install a pool. We have working smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide
detector. But I still send the kids out to play without my supervision.
It's a parental choice and there are quite a lot of people who are happy
to judge that severely. The kids would be MUCH safer in front of the TV.

Wendy

[Wendy Marsden]

Fern5827 > wrote:
> Wendy, part of the problem is the CPS (child protective union) which is quick
> to respond to any sign of parental supposed inattentiveness.

You are frigging unbelievable. Please do not email me anymore ever.

Wendy

[Roger Schlafly]

"Wendy Marsden" > wrote
> > Some
> > parents may be paranoid about allowing their kids to walk to school, or
> > even to play outside or ride a bike, unless there's a trusted adult to
> > supervise (and put helmets on the kids, invariably incorrectly? <g>)
> > them
> Speaking as a parent of children ages 12, 10 and 4, there is enormous
> societal pressure not to allow my children to do anything that could be
> considered unsafe by the most paranoid person. I've been spoken to
> several times for making my children walk the .3 miles to elementary
> school (gasp, unattended by adults but with either their sibling or an
> older neighbor kid).
> I've also been told at least four times that my children ought not to be
> allowed to walk our puppy because the puppy isn't well-enough trained ...

Most people, when subjected to such pressure, stop the practice
and the kids end up getting less exercise. That is why I think that
those busybodies are contributing to childhood obesity.