Childhood Obesity Prevention (Part 1)

Childhood obesity rates in England and Wales have slowed in recent years from a peak of 18.9% in 2004 to around 16% in 2008.
However, nearly a third of our children (30%) are deemed overweight or obese.  This is a totally unacceptable figure.

As we grow older we begin to realise how many of our current eating patterns and associations with food began in our childhood.
In our household, for example:-

• We were told to eat everything up because there were starving children in Biafra.
• We were never allowed pudding if we hadn't finished our main course.
• Food was definitely used as a treat, a reward and a form of comfort - typical associations we carry with us through life.

So, what patterns and associations are you helping to form in your children? 
Are you passing down negative patterns and associations from one generation to the next or are you breaking the mould?
 Here are 10 tips that might help:-

1. Banish the word 'diet' from your vocabulary - you are all eating more healthily to make yourselves feel good. You are not dieting or trying to lose weight.
2. Never allow your kids to hear you calling yourself "fat" or belittling yourself.  Children learn by modelling behaviour and this isn't behaviour you want to encourage.
3. Prevent them from developing the word association of food and "treat."  Find other things to treat them with.  Good examples would be a nice trip out together or an extra bedtime story.  The biggest treat of all is more quality time with you!
4. The same applies to the word "reward."  Offering sweets or an ice cream to encourage good behaviour is all too easy. Come up with new ideas such as an extra 15 minutes playtime or the chance to stay up and watch their favourite TV programme.
5. Similarly aim to avoid using food as a comforter.  An association we can all recognize.  A big hug or cuddle provides much more comfort than a bag of sweets!
6. Ensure you all sit down at a table together - that way you can monitor what they're eating and make it a proper social occasion.
7. Avoid allowing them to eat in front of the TV or the computer.  This leads to what I call 'mindless' eating - eating robotically and without thinking about it.
8. Resist giving them the same portion size as you.  They are much smaller than you and need much less food.  Compare the relative size of your hands - that's about the ratio you're looking for!
9. Resist the temptation to do what your parents did and insist they eat everything on their plate.  If they're full, they're full.
10. Never make pudding a condition of finishing their main meal.  In fact try to make meals one course or just give fruit or a yoghurt for pudding. 

So, 10 tips on how you can help drive down childhood obesity rates.
Whether you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, Godparent or friend, we all share the same responsibility.

We need to help children develop a healthy attitude towards food and exercise.  We need to help them create the right associations with food; and we need to remember that food can never replace our personal time, love and attention.

Theresa Coligan created http://www.thinkingthin.co.uk to help people solve one of the biggest and most challenging issues in their lives - how to lose weight and keep it off. Thinking Thin focusses on the missing link in weight loss - mindset change. Change your mindset and you easily change your behaviour; change your behaviour and you easily lose weight.
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