In today’s society,
one cannot help but see vast amounts of publicity focused on the growing
epidemic of child obesity. However, it seems that the epidemic continues to be
growing and parents continue to ignore their children’s plight. A study on childhood obesity shows
that “more than three-quarters of parents of pre-school-age obese sons and
nearly 70 percent of parents of obese daughters described their children as
“about the right weight.”
When comparing
this study to one from 1994, it appears that the children in the study from
2012 were substantially heavier and their parents’ ability to recognize their
child’s weight accurately decreased by 30 percent. Dr. David L. Katz discusses
the problem in his article and calls the problem oblivobesity.
It appears that due to rising obesity rates in various countries, a new sense of normal weight may be one of the reasons for parents believing that their children are not overweight.
It appears that due to rising obesity rates in various countries, a new sense of normal weight may be one of the reasons for parents believing that their children are not overweight.
A point that Dr. Katz makes is that many of
these parents may be in denial about their children’s weight. It may be easier for
them because admitting their children have a weight problem may mean they as
parents would have to begin eating healthier and setting an example.
So in many cases it appears that these parents
choose denial because it’s easier to pretend no problem exists. On the other hand, this denial may be some
type of wishful thinking. Dr. Thomas N. Robinson
states, “It is natural for a parent to want to think optimistically about
their child.” So these parents may believe that their child will simply grow
out of their obesity, as they grow older. In addition, many of these parents
base their thoughts about their child’s weight on their child’s activity level.
Studies have shown
that parents will often believe that their child’s weight is not a concern if
they are physically active.
The inherent
problem with this is that children’s parents often overestimate how active
their children actually are. Studies have also shown that parents begin paying
more attention to their children’s weight as they approach adolescence because
of the body image issues associated with that age. However, this much attention
is usually only given to children from upper and middle class parents, because
buying healthier food costs more. So many of the parents of lower economic
status are forced to purchase less healthy foods because that is all they can
provide. The sad truth is that many of these parents can simply not afford to
buy healthier foods.
Another problem seems
to arise from misunderstandings between doctors and their patients. Many
doctors are forced to use words like “weight problem” in order to avoid hurting
patient feelings. But the problem with using these words is that patients may
not understand completely what the doctors are telling them. They may believe
that the problem is not bad and their child is not obese. It is not until
later, when the child develops health problems, like diabetes, that the parents
understand the severity of the situation. It is apparent that obesity on the
rise and childhood obesity is more a problem now than ever.
When tackling this
problem we need to think about the possible causes contributing to the
epidemic. We need to make sure that being overweight does not become “the new
normal” and that parents know what the ramifications are for their children to
be obese as well as themselves. Its necessary for us as a society to educate
parents and their children about how important it is to eat healthy and
maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity feels like an epidemic that we have grown up with, something of our generation. I feel like it is a mistake to classify it so easily. This has been an epidemic that has been brewing over the last fifty years with the slow changes to our food culture. I think the idea of our food culture changing supports many of your arguments in this piece.
ReplyDeleteThe documentary series, Cooked, illustrates how our American food culture has changed. After World War II, our food rapidly moved towards us consuming things that corporate America had created. Processed food was born around this time, and was being marketed heavily towards busy mothers who also found themselves in the workforce. Fast forwarding 50 years into the future, processed foods are a staple of the American diet. I think we all could not go a day without eating something that is a processed food product or from a corporate provider. These providers try to sell us to fit with their bottom line, profit and health often don’t align.
I definitely feel as though there is oblivobesity in our society. People have began to use synonyms for fat, or unhealthy such as thick, big boned, more curvy. In essence, genetics does allow for variety. Some are naturally thinner, are less susceptible to high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, and others are more susceptible. With that in mind, it is difficult for medical doctors to tell an individual what is and is not a healthy weight on an individual based on a number alone. Of course, obesity is unhealthy, but what is considered overweight or fat for one looks and is different for another. I personally have two aunts who are the epitome of this. Both are 5'5,one weighs 136 pounds and the other 165 pounds. The 165 pound one has no health complications, the 136 pound aunt has to monitor her blood pressure and keep her weight down. She is currently trying to lose weight. I wonder if these variations in weight among families versus the general public is what causes this obliviousness. For instance, if everyone in a person's family is overweight, then they don't view their son or daughter who is gaining weight as such. Instead, they will view them as normal, saying people in the family is big-boned.
ReplyDeleteI think we should note that initial appearance of weight is not as important as body composition: how much fat someone has in their body, cholesterol, sugar levels, and many other things. Those are more indicative of a person's health than anything.
I think we should also be weary of healthiness and physical fitness. Some individuals are healthy but not fit.
I also think the way in which obesity might be the issue. One of my issues with measurement for obesity is that doctors tend to follow BMI when classifying the health of individuals. BMI is simply height and weight. Some individuals are of heavier weight, but have a large muscle mass, or have a few extra pounds but not any health complications or real health concerns.
WHile I think it is important to talk about health and its correlation to weight, instead of worrying about terminology or the reason people are getting more and more fat, maybe we should be teaching good habits of eating and not put pressure on weight as a perception of beauty, but of health, and allow a little wiggle room despite our own biases.
Although there is a lot of fast food and processed garbage out there for people to consume, eating relatively healthy meals and being active as a young child should be among the most important things in the world of an adolescent. I don't feel as if this is emphasized enough by parents who like you mentioned, believe their kids are the "right weight" far too often. But using the "right weight" mentality is difficult with everyone having their own body type. I think the emphasis should be on eating well and exercising, as opposed to criticizing the businesses who simply make unhealthy food available to customers. I enjoy McDonald's once in a while and still work out, get all my food groups, and try to be healthy overall. I think that is what the McDonald's is there for, not so kids have fries and a soda with every meal and then get told that they are beautiful no matter how unhealthy.
ReplyDelete"Oblivobesity" is a neat term that explains this phenomenon well. I do think many parents overlook their children's health issues for various reasons. They might lack the time to cook them healthy meals because they might be busy or financially unstable, resorting to cheaper and faster options like fast food. However, like your post mentions, if the parents are in denial or actively denying the fact that their children are suffering from obesity, that becomes a much bigger problem. Both need to directly address the problem and seek professional help by visiting a nutritionist or a therapist.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the advent of technology and the widespread use of personal computers, tablets, and smartphone most likely contributed to the weight issue. In the past, adolescents were active, roaming the playground and playing sports with their friends. However, nowadays, they sit on the couch, completely immersed in their digital world. I am not saying that one way of having fun is better than others, but it is important to have a good balance between staying active and relaxing at home.
Lastly, we should all keep in mind that there is a big difference between one's appearance and body composition. One might look average or skinny, but his or her body composition might indicate that that individual is actually experiencing weight issues. Also, BMI, which many people believe to be a good indicator of one's well-being, fails to take into account his or her muscle mass, so an alternative method of measuring one's body composition should be available more widely.
I thought this was a really fascinating look at "Obliviobesity." Like I said in class, I think there's something about the younger generations (parents and kids) who like to believe that they are 'special.' Because of this worldview, people seem to believe that their kids play by different rules when it comes to obesity. I think childhood obesity is an epidemic fueled by the lack of healthy alternative dining options. As fast food pervades low-income communities, you see more and more obesity due to the availability of food. I think that the solution here is more education or potentially tax breaks for domestic farming that could produce healthier options for kids. Until that happens though, keep an eye out for more special overweight kids.
ReplyDeleteThis was very a very insightful read. I think you brought up many good points regarding child hood obesity. I believe most of the blame is in the hands of the parents. Parents need to establish healthy eating habits for children to carry forward for the rest of their lives. It is important to nourish a child with as much information as possible about eating a nutritious diet. many studies have shown that parental communication with adolescents is very important. In general children who spend more time with their families have much lower levels of unhealthy risk behaviors. I think it is also important for America to work towards becoming a more health conscious environment. It is evident that in this day and age, most people are looking to eat as healthy as possible, its just about the options that are readily available.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing up this topic. I think many people are afraid to address this issue because of potential backlash and the possibility of sounding "fatphobic." All over the Internet, people are told that they should be comfortable in their own skin, and that they are beautiful no matter what their weight is. I agree with this - I think that everyone should accept themselves and not let weight define their self-worth. However, this message is insidious, because it is often the case that people deny their need to lose weight to prove the point. Even when doctors advise them to lose weight, they will not do so in order to preserve their identity and spread the word that "fat is beautiful." Bottom line - losing weight is hard, and claiming that others are "fatphobic" is a great way to avoid exercise and healthy eating.
ReplyDeleteLike you said, it is terrifying that parents will ignore doctors who tell them that their precious little babies are obese. Whether parents think their children will grow out of their "baby fat," or if they actually want them to remain obese to support weight activism, they are ultimately setting them up for a difficult - and probably shortened - life.
Childhood obesity is a very sensitive topic because it is related to socioeconomic status and the availability of fresh food near the household, which touches on racial and ethnic inequality. Why should poorer people and minorities be blamed for being obese if the only food options in a 5 mile radius are 20 fast food restaurants and one expensive supermarket? If someone has multiple children and low income, it makes logical sense for the parent to feed their family and at the same time, save money for other essentials the children need. Unfortunately childhood obesity rates are still dangerously high, and much of the fault is due to the selection bias of supermarkets (not wanting to build new markets in poor areas because they won’t be able afford as much) as well as the invasive building of fast food restaurants in poor and minority neighborhoods. Healthier options for less money are necessary to lower the rates of childhood obesity.
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