Childhood Obesity in Australia: Weights and Measures
In an attempt to counter the nation’s obesity problem Australia plans to interview and weigh thousands of children. The AFP reports:
Up to a quarter of Australian children aged between seven and 15 are overweight or obese, causing rising rates of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the health department said.In Disease Proof Your Child Dr. Fuhrman explains the solution to childhood obesity is close to home:
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott said 4,000 children would take part in the national nutrition survey -- the most comprehensive stock-taking in more than a decade of what Australian youngsters eat and their levels of physical activity.
We teach our children to eat when not hungry. We encourage it. Many parents actually think it looks health for their kids to be plump and bigger than average. They continually encourage them to ignore their bodies and eat when not hungry. The children learn to eat for a taste thrill; it is recreational eating, akin to recreational drug use. They do it for a thrill and pay a price for it later. These children and adults have overeaten their whole lives, so that they have no recollection of what true hunger feels like.
The first step toward your child’s healthy eating is changing your own. Concentrate on changing the dietary habits of the parents first and gradually remove more and more of the unhealthy options. If your child doesn’t change his diet right away, that is okay. Stop trying to control his intake. Stop battling. Instead, continue to offer delicious vegetable dishes and other great foods that are available. If he chooses to eat very little of it, that is fine. The best way to handle it is to say, “You don’t have to eat. If you are not hungry, why don’t you go and play.” If he asks for something not in the house, simply tell him that you do not have any. When he gets very hungry, he will ask to eat and relish what was offered earlier. You might be surprised at how much good stuff he will eat because he is really hungry and not forced to eat something when he was not. It will also be easier if he sees the rest of the family enjoying eating the healthy food choices and healthful recipes.
