Fat children - what should partents do?

[sussex_guy2k2]

I used to eat a lot of chocolate, but now I can't bear anything sweet and only eat dark chocolate. Sugar is addictive. I broke the habit drinking hot water with slices of lemon.

Again, eating small amounts regularly, with the right mix of complex carbs, protein and good fats will keep cravings at bay. It's little things like sending your kids to school with some nuts instead of a chocolate bar, which will be much more healthy AND stop their cravings.

I used to be the same, but totally changed my diet a few years back now, and get absolutely no cravings for sugar. Every so often if I'm out for dinner and everyone's having desert, I'll have one, but I'm really not bothered otherwise.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Start by letting them walk to school,that's the reason there's so many fat ***** around,they get a lift everywhere

You could link this to [MENTION=663]portlock seagull[/MENTION] thread on parents driving their kids to school.
When I was a kid, I remember a Marathon (Snicker), used to be a normal size, but now we seem to be going down the road of our red necked cousins from the US, massive sized meals, instead of normal sizes.


I can understand kids who have diabetes for instance, and find it hard to lose weight, because of their illness, but part of the blame must come down to a lack of education of eating all food in proportion and exercise also. IMO

 

[Don Quixote]

Generally fatties have fat children, so stop them reproducing.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I think we ate a fair bit of **** in 70s and 80s but it was more of a treat and also in summer holidays I was never in playing computer games i was out 1st thing in the morning and only came home as light faded. Also walking to and from school everyday helped. So in short today's kids/parents seem to be lazy and glutoness, I got chocolate/sweets for doing something good not for just demanding it and having a tantrum.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

My parents innocently fed me loads of crap as a kid and loads of sugar.
I have never been overweight because I did lots of exercise, sport and general running around.
But I have teeth like sugar puffs.

 

[StonehamPark]

A huge difference nowadays is the easy access to the internet, YouTube, Facebook, video games and electronic gadgets, which most kids are hooked on.
I imagine the parents have an easier job as the kid is occupied and no work is needed to be done.

I grew up early 90's, all I had in the house (gadget-wise) was a cd and tape player.
Me and my friends would be out from 8am till dark on our bikes, messing about and just making our own fun.
This would be every single weekend that it wasn't raining and especially in the holidays, year round.

I guess parents felt we were safer 20 odd years ago.

 

[Brighton Mod]

You can't call people fat anymore, its not politcally correct. They may have suffered some form of abuse during childhood, they may come from poor backgrounds that can only afford the attractively wrapped food in supermarkets,they may have fatty liver, or been bullied at school, or an overactive thyroid, it could be genetical, maybe there's too much sugar in food today or they are just not educated on how to eat.

Or

they could be lazy and indolent, greedy, unable to say no, don't exercise, have weak parents, eat all the nice tasting wrong foods, have come from a generation that has never been told no or where children have an opinion from the age of five (most of these kids are called Reuben), have been educated in a system that has no winners or losers where everyone can take part or not, have been driven to school everyday in a Tigan, watch too much television, have never played out because there are nasty people out there, havn't formed proper relationships with those around them, have too much money given by parents where they can indulge in all the fast foods, quick sugary drinks and live in a society that makes excuses for them being FAT!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, I understand that 90%+ of children with ADHT come from single parent families.

Lets stop making excuses and be allowed to call them FAT, because thats what they are!! And costing the NHS billions today and in the future.

 

[Beach Hut]

Entirely parents responsibility, take example A from recent holiday:

Fat woman with two fat kids, she had a t-shirt on saying "Choose Life" , Mrs Hut said she surely choose food end of.

Two fat kids, at breakfast boy had seven sausages on his plate plus bacon, eggs etc, girl had 5 pancakes smothered in syrup.

Boy seemed to need a wee on the hour, every hour so assume the start of diabetes at around 12.

Who has created this scenario - MUM

 

[BigGully]

I am uneasy with all this finger pointing, I note that nearly every poster is keen to offer how they and their kids are just perfect and there is some sneering at the fat children, I think it is an unfair prejudice.

My children have always been particularly sporty in fact I would suspect that they as children were fitter and stronger than your little cherubs are today so best not be so smug, best be careful who sets the threshold what is deemed appropriate you might have your child fall into yet another category that deserves ridicule..

Of course I think it is preferable for all children to be of an appropriate weight, offer information and help if it is sought, but beyond that accept people are different and have different outlooks on what is important for them and their children.

I agree that walking to school and many of my own previous childhood habits would perhaps be preferable compared to many modern traits but hey ho, thats life, modern children still have an opportunity to access many many sports and pursuits we never did so no big deal, there were always a few overweight kids even in the 70's.

Perhaps more controversial is that I just do not see an epidemic of fat kids in my local primary school, my kids and all of your kids weren't fat and I go into schools all the time and my wife is a teacher and instead of seeing classes full of fat kids it tends to be generally full of skinny or what looks appropriate weight for their age and height.

We spoke about this to friends this weekend and my wife assures me that there is perhaps 1 or 2 per class you might 'label' as overweight out of 12 classes 32'sh, doesnt seem so different than when us lot went to school.

 

[Alba Badger]

Again, eating small amounts regularly, with the right mix of complex carbs, protein and good fats will keep cravings at bay. It's little things like sending your kids to school with some nuts instead of a chocolate bar, which will be much more healthy AND stop their cravings.

I used to be the same, but totally changed my diet a few years back now, and get absolutely no cravings for sugar. Every so often if I'm out for dinner and everyone's having desert, I'll have one, but I'm really not bothered otherwise.

Nuts are banned at my kids school and nursery. So
Shame but the can kill some poor wee sod's.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Nuts are banned at my kids school and nursery. So
Shame but the can kill some poor wee sod's.

In fairness, so can sugar.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

A daily kids meal shouldn't be: Toast with jam, sandwich, crisps and chocolate, pasta and sugar filled dessert.

Don't know about kids meals, but that's my diet during the week......



Lardass.

 

[Brighton Mod]

I am uneasy with all this finger pointing, I note that nearly every poster is keen to offer how they and their kids are just perfect and there is some sneering at the fat children, I think it is an unfair prejudice.

My children have always been particularly sporty in fact I would suspect that they as children were fitter and stronger than your little cherubs are today so best not be so smug, best be careful who sets the threshold what is deemed appropriate you might have your child fall into yet another category that deserves ridicule..

Of course I think it is preferable for all children to be of an appropriate weight, offer information and help if it is sought, but beyond that accept people are different and have different outlooks on what is important for them and their children.

I agree that walking to school and many of my own previous childhood habits would perhaps be preferable compared to many modern traits but hey ho, thats life, modern children still have an opportunity to access many many sports and pursuits we never did so no big deal, there were always a few overweight kids even in the 70's.

Perhaps more controversial is that I just do not see an epidemic of fat kids in my local primary school, my kids and all of your kids weren't fat and I go into schools all the time and my wife is a teacher and instead of seeing classes full of fat kids it tends to be generally full of skinny or what looks appropriate weight for their age and height.

We spoke about this to friends this weekend and my wife assures me that there is perhaps 1 or 2 per class you might 'label' as overweight out of 12 classes 32'sh, doesnt seem so different than when us lot went to school.

Could well be a definition thing, looked at an old picture of when in the Army the other week and the one guy we called fat, didn't look it at all. Where as today, people have to be very fat or indeed obese for them to be termed fat, it also depends on where your wife teaches.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

[/B]
When I was a kid, I remember a Marathon (Snicker), used to be a normal size, but now we seem to be going down the road of our red necked cousins from the US, massive sized meals, instead of normal sizes.
View attachment 86795

I've always objected to these confectionery labels.

There is nothing fun whatsoever about a chocolate bar that small.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Could well be a definition thing, looked at an old picture of when in the Army the other week and the one guy we called fat, didn't look it at all. Where as today, people have to be very fat or indeed obese for them to be termed fat, it also depends on where your wife teaches.

Have we not gone the other way too in a sense?

Look at photographs of footballers from the 1950s or 60s. Or of models, male and female. The notion of physical perfection has changed over the years. Footballers like Billy Wright or Stanley Matthews or Jimmy Greaves would look ordinary in comparison to most modern players. Likewise the concept of (male or female) beauty. Curves used to be the order of the day with women: now such shapes- Marilyn Monroe springs to mind- would, ludicrously, be considered "plus size" in modelling terms.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I've always objected to these confectionery labels.

There is nothing fun whatsoever about a chocolate bar that small.

You'll probably recognise this, when I do shift work, I originally grazed through it chomping on chocs & crisps, no matter the size.
Had to stop and eat healthier as I had visions of taking statins and possibly posting my teeth to the dentist for checkups

 

[Triggaaar]

As a kid

I knew it!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We have two boys and if they were allowed they would eat sugar and fat containing food at every opportunity. We are very careful to expose them to as much healthy food as possible as early in life as possible. They love some veg but hate others so it's not alway easy but it's all about balanced diets. Treats are available occasionally after a main meals but only then unless it's a special occasion. Your body can process sugar better after a main meal.

Exercise is also key. My boys, 3 and 6 walk for miles at a time with us and the dog. Also get them out on their bikes, trampoline, playing football, badminton and tennis when ever possible. We do not have computer games although they do have a kindle each that they get to play when the weather is crappie or on long car journeys.

When ever they go on play dates or kids come here it becomes aparent that not all parents are like this. My boy came back from the his pals a few weeks ago as high as a kite on slushpuppies, popping candy and bubble gum. I have seen kids being sent to school with bottles of energy sports drinks as young as 6. It's mental how uneducated some folk are about what is and isn't good for you.

I think educating the parents and the kids is key to changing this. Refined sugar is an evil addictive drug and It should go the way of tobacco in my opinion.

The food manufacturers need to take some of the blame. Yogurts have been advertised as being healthy & good for you. A Fruit Corner is 400 calories. Low fat yogurts are worse because more sugar is added to compensate for the lack of a creamy taste.

 

[Questions]

When you liquidise their foods as baby's, make sure that when you feed them you eat most of it yourself. That way they grow up with small appetites.

 

[Beach Hut]

Nuts are banned at my kids school and nursery. So
Shame but the can kill some poor wee sod's.

Don't get me started on nut allergies, last few flights banned as one person had an allergy. They should ask these questions when booking a flight so then nut allergy people can all fly together and not inconvenience everyone else.