The rise of WEIGHT blindness: A third of parents underestimate their child's weight -

[Surya Gayatri]

and just 1% realise they're obese.

Parents of clinically obese kids 'don't see' their offspring as unhealthily fat

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3017657/The-rise-WEIGHT-BLINDNESS-parents-recognise-obese-child-fat.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/11502644/Parents-of-clinically-obese-kids-dont-see-their-offspring-as-unhealthily-fat.html

Many parents are afflicted by 'weight-blindness', unable to recognise their child is overweight unless they are extremely obese, new research has found.

The research discovered that just under a third (31 per cent) of the parents underestimated where their child's body mass index (BMI) was on obesity scale.


Many parents are afflicted by 'weight blindness', and are unable to recognise their child is overweight unless they are extremely obese, according to new research

The study found that parents were more likely to underestimate their child's weight if they were black or south Asian, from more deprived backgrounds, or if the child was male.

Researchers suggested that if parents cannot identify when their child is overweight, this throws into question the effectiveness of public health campaigns aiming to address obesity in the home.
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This phenomenon would seem to have major implications for both the developed and developing world, where the obesity epidemic is gaining momentum.

[Brickbat]

1. The "epidemic" isn't gaining momentum in the U.S.

CDC information shows that there has been no significant change in obesity rates in the U.S. population 2002 and 2012.

[Surya Gayatri]

2. It is however spreading around the world, and threatens

the health of the younger populations in developing nations.

[3catwoman3]

3. Last summer, I did an annual...

Last edited Mon Mar 30, 2015, 03:14 PM - Edit history (1)

...wellness visit on an 11 yr old boy. We had last done a school checkup for him at age 5, before entry into kindergarten. He was already somewhat overweight then - about 10 pounds. He had gained 110 pounds in 5 years, and at age 11 now weighed 160. He is not nearly tall enough for that weight.

When I told the mom that his BMI was at a level that indicated we should do some labs to look for early insulin resistance, she blithely replied, "Oh, he looks just like the rest of the family. I'm not worried about him." She declined the testing.

She may not be worried about him, but I am. We will probably not see him again until the next mandatory school physical, which will be entry to high school.

[Surya Gayatri]

5. So, you are on the front lines dealing with this scourge...

Young bodies that pack it on, often cannot take it off later when real health issues start to appear. (I speak from personal experience, unfortunately).

Why do parents have so much trouble seeing this health threat in their kids?

If the kid is suffering from diarrhea, running a fever or coughing up mucus, they can't get him/her to the emergency room fast enough.

[LynneSin]

4. I think parents are clueless how they are 'poisoning' their own kids

Parents are so busy they think it's easier to just buy pre-packaged food and pop it into the microwave calling it 'dinner' not realizing that there is hardly any nutritional value to those foods. They keep their fridge stocked with soda filled with High Fructose Corn Syrup and start the kids day off with cereals also made with HFCS and white flour. And the parents get upset that the schools are trying to give these kids some sort of nutritional meal and scream because their kids still feel hungry. Of course their kids feel hungry because the kids have been eating empty calories all day - it's an addiction craving that only goes away when more processed junk food is eaten.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Too busy and tied up in their own hectic lives...running to 3 different jobs,

trying to make ends meet.

Addictions formed in childhood never really go away. They can only be 'managed' in later life.

[3catwoman3]

7. Just a few weeks ago I was examining a 2 yr old...

...whose mom was concerned about her eating habits (very common). When I asked what the little girl ate, her mom replied, "All she wants to do is drink orange juice and eat candy. if I hide the candy, she finds it."

My brain was saying, "OK, who the hell is in charge at home?", which, of course, I could not say. I paused, to think up a diplomatic, non-snarky reply, and very gently said, "How about if you just don't buy any?"

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Yeah, the imperative for 'political correctness' is interfering with proper parenting...

What? You're saying MY child is overweight?

You are 'fat shaming' MY child and I won't stand for it. Better watch out, or I'll take you to the schoolboard, the medical council or the small claims court.