Comments on: Childhood Obesity: What Can Parents Do? http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/ Dietriffic Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:34:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Childhood Obesity and Your Shopping Basket! - Healthy Eating for Busy People - Dietriffic.com http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-3930 Childhood Obesity and Your Shopping Basket! - Healthy Eating for Busy People - Dietriffic.com Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:43:41 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-3930 [...] Childhood Obesity: What Can Parents Do? [...] [...] Childhood Obesity: What Can Parents Do? [...]

]]> By: Liz Renter http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-3068 Liz Renter Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:20:04 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-3068 Melanie- I think you're right. Now if only we could send a CedarWorks swingset to every kid!! Melanie-
I think you’re right. Now if only we could send a CedarWorks swingset to every kid!!

]]> By: Melanie http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2890 Melanie Tue, 27 May 2008 14:31:21 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2890 Hi 4b1L, Thanks for commenting. Any suggestions on how to make activities fun for kids? Hi 4b1L,

Thanks for commenting. Any suggestions on how to make activities fun for kids?

]]> By: 4b1L http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2884 4b1L Sun, 25 May 2008 14:07:06 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2884 agree to Liz. Making a fun activities for our children will give a good effort. <em>4b1L's last blog post..<a href='http://blog.phreakaholic.com/?p=9' rel="nofollow">Internet Axis Unlimited</a></em> agree to Liz. Making a fun activities for our children will give a good effort.

4b1L’s last blog post..Internet Axis Unlimited

]]> By: Melanie http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2881 Melanie Sat, 24 May 2008 08:15:15 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2881 Hi Liz, Thanks for commenting. I checked out Cedar Works, very beautiful products. I can imagine if kids had one of these in their garden they'd love to be outside! :-) Hi Liz,

Thanks for commenting.

I checked out Cedar Works, very beautiful products. I can imagine if kids had one of these in their garden they’d love to be outside! :-)

]]> By: Liz Renter http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2878 Liz Renter Sat, 24 May 2008 01:47:34 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2878 "Make Activity Fun"! That is key! I think kids forget that activity can be fun when they are forced to view every activity as dreaded "exercise". Similar to labeling foods as "healthy", labeling activity as "exercise" can immediately turn a child off. Complacency is far easier than active parenting but as parents it is our responsibility to create healthy adults. Because I am a mother and also work for a swingset company that places a real emphasis on creative play, I think this post really got my attention. At CedarWorks we believe that kids want to be active and if given the right tools and encouragement, they can remember how fun being active really is! Anyways, great post- very relevant!! Liz R. http://www.CedarWorks.com “Make Activity Fun”! That is key! I think kids forget that activity can be fun when they are forced to view every activity as dreaded “exercise”. Similar to labeling foods as “healthy”, labeling activity as “exercise” can immediately turn a child off.
Complacency is far easier than active parenting but as parents it is our responsibility to create healthy adults. Because I am a mother and also work for a swingset company that places a real emphasis on creative play, I think this post really got my attention. At CedarWorks we believe that kids want to be active and if given the right tools and encouragement, they can remember how fun being active really is!
Anyways, great post- very relevant!!

Liz R.
http://www.CedarWorks.com

]]> By: Melanie http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2506 Melanie Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:14:06 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2506 Hi Tom, Yes you are totally right, being a role model is so important, I think we pass on habits to those around us unwittingly, so it's important to be aware of the impact we're having! Family Nutritionist, You made me laugh, and you're so right! I particularly liked your comment "Let’s ask it again in 20 minutes.” Also, "Don’t let them eat a cinnamon bun larger than their head!" Very very true, thanks!! Nico, Yes, I think the food industry have a huge part to play. Now that you've experienced a healthier way of life, do you feel YOUR "healthy" influence could have a greater impact on your kids (if you have kids, or hypothetically speaking if you don't) than the food industry? Hi Rebecca, Yes, this is very wise advice, but something many families must struggle with I'm sure! Hi Bill, Thanks for your comments, they bring back memories of my own childhood. It seems that some children's ideas of what it is to "play" has changed dramatically in recent years. It's very unfortunate indeed, and it makes me sad when kids think entertainment is watching a movie, this has it's place, but shouldn't be the focus! Hi Cat, Thank you so much for your input! Really great suggestions, and I particularly like your suggestion not to "harp on" about their weight! This is such a key piece of advice, thank you for sharing! Hi Tom,

Yes you are totally right, being a role model is so important, I think we pass on habits to those around us unwittingly, so it’s important to be aware of the impact we’re having!

Family Nutritionist,

You made me laugh, and you’re so right! I particularly liked your comment “Let’s ask it again in 20 minutes.” Also, “Don’t let them eat a cinnamon bun larger than their head!” Very very true, thanks!!

Nico,

Yes, I think the food industry have a huge part to play.

Now that you’ve experienced a healthier way of life, do you feel YOUR “healthy” influence could have a greater impact on your kids (if you have kids, or hypothetically speaking if you don’t) than the food industry?

Hi Rebecca,

Yes, this is very wise advice, but something many families must struggle with I’m sure!

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your comments, they bring back memories of my own childhood.

It seems that some children’s ideas of what it is to “play” has changed dramatically in recent years. It’s very unfortunate indeed, and it makes me sad when kids think entertainment is watching a movie, this has it’s place, but shouldn’t be the focus!

Hi Cat,

Thank you so much for your input! Really great suggestions, and I particularly like your suggestion not to “harp on” about their weight! This is such a key piece of advice, thank you for sharing!

]]> By: Cat Moore http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2442 Cat Moore Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:33:51 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2442 Speaking as an overweight adult with overweight parents, my suggestion are: 1) turn off the tv 2) surf/read after dark - be outside when it's light and you aren't at work/school 3) turn off the tv 4) never ever reward behavior with food - food is a necessity, not a luxury and so shouldn't be linked to behavior, good or bad. 5) portion control is key - weigh it or measure it, and do not rely on the manufacturer, restaurant or your southern grandma to determine a portion (I have a southern, German grandma who rewarded every thing with food. 6) did I mention - turn off the tv? 7) don't harp on their weight -harping makes the problem worse. You are the parent, fix their environment. You want food and eating to be like sleeping - something we do in correct portions, not a battleground. 8) oh, and turn off the tv Speaking as an overweight adult with overweight parents, my suggestion are:
1) turn off the tv
2) surf/read after dark – be outside when it’s light and you aren’t at work/school
3) turn off the tv
4) never ever reward behavior with food – food is a necessity, not a luxury and so shouldn’t be linked to behavior, good or bad.
5) portion control is key – weigh it or measure it, and do not rely on the manufacturer, restaurant or your southern grandma to determine a portion (I have a southern, German grandma who rewarded every thing with food.
6) did I mention – turn off the tv?
7) don’t harp on their weight -harping makes the problem worse. You are the parent, fix their environment. You want food and eating to be like sleeping – something we do in correct portions, not a battleground.
8) oh, and turn off the tv

]]> By: Bill Gordon http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2439 Bill Gordon Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:19:08 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2439 I have been very lucky. When I was young people worked hard and earned enough to just about feed themselves and their children, and as a child food played a very small part in my life. Apart from having to go to school where we did have P.T. and sports. and playgrounds which were often battlegrounds, which incidentally a black eye was just about the worst injury one would sustain., Our whole life was lived out of the house with children of our own age experimenting with what we could or not do If we were allowed we would run from dawn to dusk, playing. Whatever our childish problems were at the end of the day total exhaustion guaranteed a full nights sleep. I would like to think that maybe in the future children would be able to have as fullfilled childhood as I had I have been very lucky. When I was young people worked hard and earned enough to just about feed themselves and their children, and as a child food played a very small part in my life. Apart from having to go to school where we did have P.T. and sports. and playgrounds which were often battlegrounds, which incidentally a black eye was just about the worst injury one would sustain., Our whole life was lived out of the house with children of our own age experimenting with what we could or not do If we were allowed we would run from dawn to dusk, playing. Whatever our childish problems were at the end of the day total exhaustion guaranteed a full nights sleep. I would like to think that maybe in the future children would be able to have as fullfilled childhood as I had

]]> By: Rebecca http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2424 Rebecca Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:32:10 +0000 http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/03/28/childhood-obesity-what-can-parents-do/#comment-2424 Wooo-Weee! Down here in the South, food is currency when it comes to showing love and hospitality. I've already started talking to my married son about changing some of our family traditions so that we begin to leave a healthy legacy for his children! Wooo-Weee! Down here in the South, food is currency when it comes to showing love and hospitality. I’ve already started talking to my married son about changing some of our family traditions so that we begin to leave a healthy legacy for his children!

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