WebParenTips - The Online Parenting Newsletter vol.4 no.9, Sep 2003 

                           FIGHT FAT!

Fat Land by Greg Critser is a fascinating book outlining the reasons why
Americans are so fat.

Parents have little control over the agricultural politics and corporate decisions
that have conspired to proffer huge portions of food containing lots of fat and
high fructose corn syrup wherever we eat or shop. Hard to stop the advertising
and marketing blitz that lures our kids to fast food establishments. The fact
that we spend over 40% of our food dollar eating out and that we often choose
fast food restaurants is not going to change. We are all so busy that convenience
is the leading factor in our decision about when and where to eat out.

But Critser brings up a troubling point. Our indulgent and individualistic culture
has lead parents to encourage their children to make their own food choices
both at home and in restaurants. Plus parents, worrying about the culture of
thinness that brings on anorexia and bulemia, are afraid to tell their kids to
eat less. But obesity is the troublesome epidemic among our kids (25% of
Americans under 19 are overweight or obese) while anorexia is much less
common. And obesity is very bad for health (the number of cases of Type II
diabetes is soaring in children and teens.)

People like me giving advice to parents usually tell them not to enter into fights
over food, to give their children choices at the table, to never nag a child about
how much he or she is eating, and that the child knows best when to stop eating.

Not true. Children on three occasions were offered macaroni and cheese in the
correct size for age, a slightly larger serving size and a super-sized one.
Three-year-olds ate what they were supposed to, leaving larger portions uneaten.
But by age five the children finished whatever was put in front of them.

Plus four randomized studies showed that overweight kids repeatedly advised by
their parents to eat less were less overweight 10 years later that the children who
were not given such advice.

I'm changing my tune. New suggestions for parents:

o It's OK to tell a child who is eating too much or too often to slow down. Tell the
kid this is for health reasons, nor appearance.

o Serve small portions from the kitchen. If food is on the table in plain view we are
more apt to have seconds.

o Make your home a junk food-free zone. No pop or chips or candy on any shelf.
None of you need it. If a child asks for chips or candy, Jason's mom always has
chips! tell the kid that in your house when somebody wants that kind of a snack
you go out to get it which is better because you get both a snack and an outing.

o Snacks are allowed but prepare healthy ones like fruit, veggies, cheese cubes.
One useful trick is to put serving size portions in little plastic snack bags so the
child doesn't even think of eating a whole package of cheese.

o Slow down your own eating. You don't have to be model-thin which is unhealthy
but you can be a good role model for your kids.


Happy Parenting,
Marilyn Heins, M.D.


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Dr. Marilyn Heins is a Tucson pediatrician, parenting
columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, author of the book,
ParenTips, as well as a mother, stepmother and grandmother.

She is available for workshops and lectures to groups of
parents, teachers, and grandparents. Dr. Heins' Lectures
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