AMES, Iowa -- Numbers prove the need, but it's up to parents to help their children deal with weight problems. "We've all heard the statistics. The number of children who are overweight has almost quadrupled over the past 30 years," said Ruth Litchfield, Iowa State University Extension nutritionist. "The number of teens who are overweight has tripled. The incidence of type 2 diabetes, once considered an adult-only disease, has grown 10-fold."
Being overweight affects social and psychological health as well as physical health. A survey asking children to rate their quality of life found that severely overweight children gave answers similar to children undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Studies in 1960 and again in 2003 showed children illustrations of a healthy child, an obese child and of kids with various disabilities. When asked whom they'd most want for a friend, children picked the obese child last in both studies, but the number of children who put the obese kid at the bottom of the list was 40 percent higher in the 2003 study.
"Our children cannot fight this weight epidemic alone. They cannot Go the Distance alone," Litchfield said. "Parents are a crucial element in their child's fight against overweight and for good health. Kids need strong role models and a support system to provide proper nutrition, physical activity and motivation. Children form habits about diet and physical activity within their family units.
The American Dietetic Association lists parental involvement as one of the key elements to combat childhood weight problems. Their online, interactive quiz designed to check how healthy a family lifestyle is can be found at: http://www.wellpoint.com/healthy_parenting/quiz.html. A print version of the quiz is included in the publication, "Guide to Healthy Kids-what parents can do" (NCR 374). Copies are available from ISU Extension offices for $1.00.
Lighten Up Iowa and Go the Distance provide an opportunity for adults, children and families to work on their physical activity and eating habits together. Both programs begin January 19, 2005 and are sponsored by the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Games and Iowa State University Extension. For more information visit the Lighten Up Iowa and Go the Distance Web site: http://www.lightenupiowa.org.
11/28/2006