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What's Eating Our Kids
An Emotional Component to Obesity?
By Kelly Burgess
O'Donnell and Dr. Rimm do agree on two issues: One is that a lack of physical activity and poor eating habits are the No. 1 cause of childhood obesity. The second is that parents need to be involved with their children to prevent both weight issues and emotional stressors.
Parents are needed to ensure their children have the opportunity to get involved in outside interests, whether it's sports or something in the arts. Even children who aren't interested in team sports but are active in other ways, such as in the arts, showed lower levels of overweight in studies than children who weren't involved in activities at all.
"Children who are busy don't have time to overeat," Dr. Rimm says. And if the parents join in physical activity as well, all the better. They can build a stronger bond with their children so they will feel safer and more secure from outside threats.
O'Donnell also stresses parental involvement, noting that the family dinner is an ideal time to monitor not only what goes in a child's mouth, but what comes out of it as well. Of course, having a sit-down dinner even several nights a week isn't always practical for busy families, but even a casual meal of sandwiches and fruit on a blanket at the soccer field can substitute in a pinch. It's taking the time to be with your kids and get them out from in front of the television and their minds off their own worries that are important.
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