What Makes Kids Fat

Fat being "insulinogenic" ??? What a friggin joke!

I have personally found it to be the complete opposite.

Another lie by the media!

There is a problem with the way in which kids see food today. Fruit and vegetable are not seen as cool things to eat, further more they would prefer to eat junk food which all tastes the same. This isn't a problem with kids but is a clear sign of the effects of big budget advertising from the fast food companies.

Why does Ronald Mc**nald target kids so much? and how about happy meals? sure, they are giving you an 'option' of fruit now but its too little to late.

parents.

...and the media. Simply mundane and money-driven.

Seriously, Western diet has become high-sugar and high carb (carbs rich in omega-6), because these two can easily be packed and preserved, ready-to-eat meals with longer shelf-life. Fresh foods and the healthier omega-3 rich foods are nowhere to be found though as instant to-go food.

Kids have never liked their vegetables, it's always been the parents' job to set a good example and prepare healthy food for their kids. If you take the time to buy and prepare healthy foods at home, an occasional fast-food treat won't make your kids fat. But healthy eating is not a priority for most families where everyone's working too many hours and making food from scratch is becoming a lost art. It also takes a huge amount of effort to decrease the sugar and corn syrup in your family's diet, but if we as parents don't do it, no one will do it for us!

I think poverty and working long hours are part of the problem. No parent sets out to make their child unhealthy (yes, I said unhealthy, not fat). But when parents work too much and can't afford nice things for their kids, they might buy their kids fast food as an easy, affordable treat. The kids like it, the parents feel like they've given their kid something.

I have visited the States 3 times, and it never ceases to amaze me how much rubbish disguised as food is available. Everything processed beyond recognition, and no such thing as healthy food on the go. Parents need to wake up to what they are really feeding their kids and start eating healthy themselves to set a good example. It seems too many children see "treat" foods as the norm.

The food companies are definitely targeting kids for their lines of processed foods. Things like fruit rollups, poptarts, mac and cheese, juice boxes, chips, cookies, fruit snacks, etc. are viewed as food that kids eat. Why can't kids just eat the same dang food that their parents eat? I know a lot of people that eat pretty healthy diets with plenty of fruits and veggies but they coddle their kids and say "Well, Jimmy doesn't like broccoli, so we don't FORCE him to eat it. He can eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead".

When I was a kid, my parents didn't buy us the "cool" snack foods that were advertised. Sure, we begged for it, but we were not allowed to get it. Parents need to step up to the plate and stop letting their kids determine what goes in the grocery cart. And yeah, that means saying no every so often. Kids don't know any better and that's why parents have to make decisions FOR them. I know if my dog had a choice, she'd eat chocolates and table scraps and who knows what else. But since it isn't good for her, I don't allow her to eat them (and she's a really good beggar). She eats kibble and it's better for her. It's not rocket science, everyone. It's just a matter of choosing not to give in to the corporations. Most of that processed food's a ripoff anyways. Come on, why would you pay like $3 for a bag of chips when you can buy something like carrot sticks and dip for a lot less? And yeah, a lot of kids WILL eat veggies if they are exposed to them often. If Junior doesn't eat broccoli, try making a different way and make him eat it again. Eventually, he may like it.

Fat parents = fat kids. You see it time and time again.

Look at your own BMI and that of your partners, and chances are greater than not that your kids will be fatter than either of you. It's the norm in society, and it's nothing to do with genetics.

I'm a mother of a young son (21 months), and when I go to shopping centres we're the odd ones out. At lunchtime I pull out a wholegrain roll, some fruit, a salad and some water for my son. I have the same thing. At the tables around me, mothers with kids of similar ages are feeding their young ones popcorn chicken, mcnuggets, chips, and other junk. Not surprisingly, these mothers are eating the same rubbish themselves.

It's no surprise that I am the only lean mother in sight, and that my son is already leaner than his peers, with more muscle mass from more regular exercise.

Obesity or leanness is not a matter of luck, or genetics, or the result of some faddish diet. Obesity the very obvious result of poor diet of parents, and them in turn passing the same bad habits on to their kids. In my mind, it's child abuse.

If you want to lose weight, keep it off, and have lean healthy kids, the answer is simple. A whole foods diet. Toss the processed rubbish, and keep away from the food court junk.

It's not rocket science.

daharja, I'm sorry, but the answer is never simple. No, it's not rocket science, but it's definately not simple. If it were, there wouldn't be an obesity problem. It's like telling an alcoholic to simply put down the bottle. It ain't that easy!

There are so many more factors to obesity than just what you put in your mouth. Ethnicity/culture, community resources, family, income, education or lack thereof, and how one deals with emotions are all factors that contribute to the obesity problem.

Many people have no idea what whole foods are simply because it's not available in their community. Also, it is cheaper to buy and easier/quicker to fix "processed rubbish" than it is to spend time perusing a farmers market (which may not even be available in some areas). A single mom working two jobs to make ends meet is not going to have the time or money to shop at a whole foods market.

Lastly, obestiy CAN be a matter of genetics. There are some of us who are pre-disposed to being overweight or obese. That is scientific fact.

It is amazing seeing the way kids eat these days as the majority of their calories come from jnuk food, snacks, and my favorite fast food. With these eating habits taking over and frequent exercise being ignored, obesity is not that suprizing to me.

Daharja - interestingly you point out that fat parents=fat kids and yet then go on to say that genetics are not a factor. Genetics are part of the puzzle in weight gain and obesity, just not the only one. Some people can eat anything and never gain an ounce, even junky processed foods. Others will gain weight even eating natural whole foods if they're in the wrong macronutrient ratios. There is so much misinformation and junk science in the area of nutrition, it's no wonder parents are confused about what to feed their kids.

I was a fat parent with skinny kids feeding my kids whole, homemade foods. My children benefited from their genetics (skinny father who can eat anything without gaining weight) and I suffered from mine. When I cut out sugars, starches and grains from my diet I was able to lose weight. It seems that I am genetically predisposed to insulin resistance and my body could no longer handle the onslaught of carbohydrates I was feeding it.

The bottom line is as parents we need to feed our kids a wide variety of whole foods, make sure they get out and play and keep treats as occasional treats, not every day occurrences. In my observation most children's diets are very sugar heavy (including starches & grains which convert to sugar) and are low in healthy proteins and good fats which they need to grow and thrive.

Kids like fast foods, but unfortunately, it's just unhealthy AND addictive. Unfortunately, as I grew up, through my teenage years, I just got addictive towards burgers and fries, though I still ate some healthy foods.

I tried in the late 1990s to no avail. In 2001, I lost down to the 160s, but then gained back to 245 pounds by last year. Now, I'm back down to the 150s, and eating lots of fish, fruits and vegtables, whole grains, and other things in moderation, with the exception of fried foods, refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, white potatoes), pasteries, soda (both regular AND diet) and trans-fatty processed foods.

But if I were a parent of a child, than I encurage my kids to eat their vegtables. However, I would never let my kid eat a single french fry, a single deep-fried chicken, deep-fried anything, and I also would teach kids how to read the labels and look for buzz-words on the ingredients portion, and tell them that if it contains anything with the word 'hydrogenated', put it back on the shelf.

It's hard, but I managed to break out of the obesity cycle. I order out unfried fish when my father orders out rubbish from the sandwich shop. Wouldn't be depressing one night if I eat salmon with cucumber salad and vegtables while my father ate tacos and my mother ate calzones and french fries? Surely, even though I may be obese before, my parents could die before my grandfather does. I may be down to the 150s now, but my father is still weighing in at 240, and my mother is gaining weight. I'm 26 right now, but my fish eating habits may live me longer.

Dbg44, Aug.16,2006

Nic hit the nail on the head. Oprah did a show on this very subject. She also said that these two things go hand in hand. Parents want to buy quality,healthy foods for their kids. But it is totally faster and easier to buy a fast food meal. As we all know veggies and good meats cost way more. I see that for my family it has to be more exercise and limit the eating out,drinking soda only on the week-end. Then only one sat and sun. Then it's back to non bubbly drinks. We did it before and we will keep doing it for life.

I see a lot of people making excuses and saying it's not simple, but it is. It's a matter of making your health and the health of your children a priority. If that means educating yourself, do so. If that means taking more time to make proper meals instead of taking the easy way out, do so. Making excuses and not taking personal responsibility has become so epidemic... this is why obesity is out of control. I agree with daharja - I think parents who feed their children poorly and make them obese are abusing their children.

As the new step mom (3 months now) of an 11 year old girl I am quite concerned about her diet choices and eating habits (and other habits but that's a different blog). Right now she's thin, cute and beginning to fill out a bit. Good, healthy food is described as 'disgusting' by her ... as a matter of fact, she is not allowed to use that word at the dinner table anymore. She consumes Sunkist or Dr. Pepper, pasta noodles with butter and salt, Ramen noodles (her newest fad), macaroni and cheese with ketchup, pretzels, popcorn, ice cream, cheezeits, chicken nuggets, white rice, candy (the sourer, the better), blue jello pre-packaged and chicken noodle soup. The healthiest foods I have ever seen her eat was cheerios with 2% milk and some sort of packaged orange juice drink for kids and she will eat an apple every now and then. I know she is addicted to carbs and sugar. She doesn't particularly care for exercise with the exception of swimming. She prefers watching TV (about 40 hours per week) and playing games on the computer. I don't believe she is genetically inclined to remain thin, which, given her level of personal vanity, is going to cause huge problems in the next few years.

I have talked to her about diet and how beauty begins on the inside and good foods versus not so good foods. I have quit buying the snack/junk foods and will not purchase candy (she spends her own money to get it!) Her dad and I fix a good nutritious sit down dinner each evening which she won't eat. I have told her dad that at the rate she's going she isn't going to "blossom" but rather she is going to blow up!

Short of force feeding her, I don't know what to do. I have thought about taking her to a dietician or nutritionist but feel that maybe I'm over reacting. At 49 I have no experience in raising kids and her habits have a headstart on me. We are the primary custodian parents so she spends 90% of her time with us. Her dad agrees we need to do something ... but what?

Will she adjust her eating habits on her own and if she does, will it be soon enough to make a difference? Right now I predict obesity, diabetes and heart disease in her adult life not to mention low self-esteem and extreme eating disorders. I would like to help her if I can.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I really think that its the media's fault that kids are obeise. I believe there are other ways to get america to loose their grip on junk food. Telling kids "fruit is good for you" is saying that they could eat both junk and fruit. What i think they should do is think of a way to scare chilren out of obeisity. For example "people that eat junk food and not fruit will die young if they dont make a change now!" That really scares children into thinking that they will die becasue of what they are eating. No it is also not the parents fauly that kids are obeise too. My mom is very fit and skinny, and my dad was extremely muscular and skinny too. My cousins, my brothers, all skinny, But I am fat and I am trying to do everything I can to loose my grip on junk food. I work out every night until I am sore and I feel good about it. If the media could somehow shift their opinion to mine, im sure america would be intimidated and will stop eating so much and finally become healthy.

"recent studies show that peolpe who eat anything from nabisco and Kraft are likely to die around the age of 30 becasue of obeisity and not enough nutrients in their diets. If you makje a change now, you will live to e as old as your grandparents. Diets should consist of VERY VERY VERY little junkfood, hardly at all. WHY THE HEC DID THEY MAKE THE FOOD PYRAMID! JUNK AT TOP, GOD STUFF AT BOTTOM!"
thank you for listening

So what if the media si trying to get money I mean who isnt money is a need these days get used it there not going to stop.

Lol @ Nick's comment. I ate an oreo last week! And a few days ago I had a diet pepsi (Pepsico = Kraftfoodscompany)!Oh no, I'm likely to die at the age of 30!

I have been struggling with my weight issues for many years now. I have been lead down the garden path in terms that i have been labeled "tank" and "the big boy." I know deep down inside that i am in fact grossly obese and at times its a struggle to perform daily tasks like such things as feeding my beloved sheep of the suttie residences propety and playing football. I often find it hard to fit into my 1982 mazda 626

ANY of use others stuggling with overweight issues out there, please add me on soot_soot@hotmail.com as i would love a chat and be willing to go further with it

I'm a 13 year old boy who's at school right now, and I believe that it is mainly the kids fault for eating so much junk food, My two brothers and I have to eat the same amount of junk food. If he gets a chocolate zinger I have to get one, until we lose track of who had more and then we just try to eat more junk food than the other person. I eat 9 slices of pizza about every two days, I eat yogo's, zingers, twinkies, doritos, pizza, burger king, mcdonalds, and a whole lot of other stuff. I'm not active, I sit on the couch for about four hours a day doing absolutely nothing, I play games on myspace for about three hours. And I'm five foot five, and i weigh around 95 pounds. I never gain weight, and i eat so much, that I feel like a nuisance to my parents.