HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — According to the CDC, childhood obesity is a serious problem in the united states, putting children and adolescents at risk for poor health. But one UAB Assistant Professor said children generally develop weight stigmas from their family members or physicians. FOX54 spoke with this educator and breaks down how parents and physicians can safely address weight- related topics with children.
For UAB Assistant Professor Dr. Channing Brown, the words from a parent to a child has more power than some may think. "We know that it really does make a difference when children are exposed to that weight-related discussing."
The more children are exposed to weight talk, whether that be commenting on someone else's weight or their own, they can be much more likely to develop eating disorders in the future. "And are actually at an increased risk of developing obesity during their lifetime. Whether that's you as a parent saying I want to lose 20 pounds by the new year in this new year, or whether that's you saying, man, that person is too big to be wearing those clothes. We know that those statements really do impact a child's developing brain and their own thoughts about their body. So, what I really want to focus on with parents is making sure that they are demonstrating healthy eating patterns."
A good place to start that demonstration is at the dinner table. "We as a family eat fruits and vegetables. We eat a variety of foods."
Furthermore, the most important thing when parents or physicians are addressing a weight related concern with children, is making sure they're addressing it from a health perspective rather than a weight perspective. "Knowing that a child can be very thin but not healthy, they may be eating a lot of junk food and be a naturally thin child. And we know that eating a lot of junk food, not having a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, and a diet that's high in sugar sweetened beverages may put them at increased risk of developing health conditions down the road despite their weight."