Half of the mothers who took part in a study thought that their obese four or five year-old was normal weight, as did 39 % of the fathers and when it came to overweight children, 75 % of mothers and 77 % of fathers thought that their child was normal weight. Further, mothers and fathers of overweight and obese children were significantly heavier than the parents of normal weight children. These statistics certainly give us something to think about.
Many kids are spending more time in front of the TV, computer, or playing video games these days. As a busy parent, we seem to have less and less time to prepare a nutritious, home-cooked meal. Fast & easy is the new reality for many families.
The best way to help your kids learn about a healthy lifestyle is by example. This means doing something as simple as sitting down to dinner as a family or starting an exercise routine together. Getting more sleep and reducing time spent in front of the TV, computer or playing video games also makes a difference. Doing one or more of these things helps your children live a healthier life.
There are many resources on the subject, here are a few recent articles with some great ideas, facts and tools:
- KidsHealth.org > Kids BMI calculator
- Article – Most Parents Don’t Realize Their 4 Or 5-Year-Olds Are Overweight or Obese ScienceDaily (Jan. 29, 2010)
We believe that families who eat together and play together, live happier, healthier lives. For those of you who checked your child’s BMI – were you surprised to find your child is classified as overweight, obese or close to the 85th percentile? What small step could your family make to help encourage a healthier lifestyle for your family? We would love to hear about it!