Overweight Children

Motek

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 2:54 pm

just read an article which calls it an epidemic

the latest statistics show as many as 35% of children aged 6-19 are overweight or obese

overweight is defined as having a weight that is greater than 95% of children of the same age and s-x

(just wondering about that ... that would mean if one day, most people become overweight, then the norm would go up Confused

)

I know I think it's sad when I see fat, little children (sometimes walking with fat parents).

the article gives advice:

1) be a role model - don't set your kids up for failure by having junk in the house and no fruit or healthy snacks

2) be positive - don't say "lose weight", say, "let's be healthy and start taking care of our bodies"

focus on the foods you can eat, not on the ones you can't

don't focus on the cosmetic angle but on the health of the child

3) make healthy eating a family affair - let the kids help prepare the food and eat together

4) institute portion control not buffet-style eating

5) start the day off with a good breakfast

6) pack a nutritious lunch

Rivka

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 3:37 pm

I think when they say obese it means very fat and there is an epidemic because suddenly there is an increase in children with diabetes caused by being overweight. It is something we should be careful about because if we don't train our kids to eat properly then they will suffer with a high risk of diabetes, high cholesterol and heart failure or possibly cancer. Obesity is a killer.

rydys

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 4:38 pm

actually, the definition of obese is based on BMI and you'd be surprised how many "chubby" kids are actually obese. It is a very big problem bec. these kids end up with many more problems than diabetes. They are at higher risk for heart disease later in life as well.

zuncompany

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 4:50 pm

My ped told us one of the leading factors in child obesity is juice consumption. Its empty calories and it doesn't fill you up. She discourages juice drinking. Zu gets one cup of water grape juice (1oz grape juice, 9oz water) Shabbos night and day. Thats it.

proudmom

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 5:41 pm

the only time my kids drink juice is on sundays when I go to my in laws and grape juice from kiddush on friday night and shabbos day other wise they only drink water.

Rivka

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 5:40 am

I give my kid water and he gets juice but it is very diluted just because I think it is too sweet.
If it was just juice then kids from my generation would have been huge too. It is more than juice, it is parents giving them junk food, MacDonalds, buying sweets and giving to kids as young 2, giving kids coke to drink or any fizzy drink, eating fried food with loads of oil. Then they don't go outside, they are busy watching TV or playing on the computer so they aren't getting rid of energy. It is everything put together, you cannot say juice is the sole culprit of child obesity.

Pickle Lady

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 9:28 am

It starts as earlier as a newborn. Formula is another culprit. Many mothers over feed thier formula fed baby. Also breastfed babies are much leaner babies. So they are starting off life with much less fat cells and leaner body. A breastfed baby can't overfeed themselves becuase the milk doesn't come out fast enough as doesfrom a bottle.

ForeverYoung
Guest

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 9:58 am

fat is not intrinsically bad, too much of it is.

Fat is the 'just in case' store of supplies in our bodies. When we're sick or cold, or overworked, our body uses fat to generate extre energy.

I see it w/ my kids - one extremely scinny, gets sicker more often. the plumpier one is much more resilient + gets well faster.

kids also need fat to facilitate proper growth, especially during groth spurts & fat is crcual for brain development.

I think that as long as they look fine, have plenty of time to run around,drink, and see positive attitude towards body, they'll be gust fine.

Motek

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 4:28 pm

ShaynaRochel wrote:

Also breastfed babies are much leaner babies.

depends ... I've seen roly-poly (to put it nicely) breast-fed babies

the one I'm thinking of is a nice slim 11 year old now

ForeverYoung
Guest

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 4:35 pm

I think that fat from mother's milk is different - my baby is pretty p;ump, but is not as heavy as she looks. She's also very very soft to touch. Almost like dawn - can't keep my hands off her Smile

I think, formula gives 'firmer substance', so to say.... for lack of better wdescription...

Pickle Lady

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 9:49 pm

Motek wrote:

ShaynaRochel wrote:

Also breastfed babies are much leaner babies.

depends ... I've seen roly-poly (to put it nicely) breast-fed babies

the one I'm thinking of is a nice slim 11 year old now

even thought they look chubby they are leaner than thier chubby formula fed friends

miriam

Tue, Jan 04 2005, 11:04 pm

RG wrote:

on the topic of what kids drink- Mendel loves seltzer!!! no calories, no sugar!! just lots of bubbles... Very Happy

My older daughter (when she was started to talk) used to call out in the middle of the night............ seltzer, seltzer. Most children cry out for water. LOL

Rochel Leah

Wed, Jan 05 2005, 10:39 am

Shayna Rochel, My son was completely bottlefed...and he is the skinniest thing around , he is below average..you could ask yael and chanie.... I dont think it is a correct assumption to say that fromaula causes obesity, it also has to do with the kids metablisim, what happens to those breastfed kids who nurse for comfort, thety could be overeating then too? With my son I had to give him the fromaula every hour cuz he ate much less then he needed. when he was finished he shut his mouth , he didnt drink cuz it was just there in his mouth.
I know that breastfedding is best but there are those people who were bottlefed and are very healthy adults, and are inteligent too.. ( I am not advocating bottlefeeding...but it isnt fair to make blank statements cuz as we see there are many exceptions.)

Pickle Lady

Wed, Jan 05 2005, 10:52 am

Rochel Leah just because your child is thin doesn't disprove what I said.

You are right not every child that is formula fed is destined to being obese but that doesn't mean itr doesn't raise that chances for others.

Please read my links

sarahd

Wed, Jan 05 2005, 10:54 am

miriam wrote:

My older daughter (when she was started to talk) used to call out in the middle of the night............ seltzer, seltzer. Most children cry out for water. LOL

That is a riot!! Reminsd me of the joke about the Jew who staggered into the oasis from 10 days in the desert and gasped for "seeeltzer"! LOL

I see the joke is really based on truth!!!

ForeverYoung
Guest

Wed, Jan 05 2005, 11:16 am

Rochel Leah, this shows that you're a good mother Smile

Some mothers just stuff their babies w/ bottles w/out being responcive to the child's needs.

Also, it is easy to prop the bottle & leave the child, so this is why bottle fed babies are more likely to be overweight

micki

Wed, Jan 05 2005, 12:06 pm

Quote:

I think that fat from mother's milk is different - my baby is pretty p;ump, but is not as heavy as she looks. She's also very very soft to touch. Almost like dawn - can't keep my hands off her I think, formula gives 'firmer substance', so to say.... for lack of better wdescription...

again not a rule at all- my 3 yr old boy - I nursed him till 8 months. by 4 months he was 20 lb. and he was not fat just SOLID you could not pich his thighs because he was so hard. all muscle- no fat. but look at his weight- at 8 months when he started the formula he was 27 lb.

that was from my milk alone! the formula did not make him any bigger. he just kept growing steadily. now he is almost 40 lb. not a tall boy- just VERY heavy.