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Parents Can Influence Overweight Teens
Bummed out about your body? Need to lose a few pounds? Whatever you do, don’t gripe about your appearance in front of your kids or try out a crash diet.
A study published in the May 2010 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health suggests that when parents have a healthy attitude about food and their bodies, their overweight teens do as well.
After analyzing surveys from 103 overweight adolescents and their parents –mostly mothers– researchers found that psychological factors like parents’ depression, self-esteem, body satisfaction and emphasis on thinness influenced their teenage children (I think it’s safe to conclude that younger kids are influenced as well).
“There was a pretty strong association between parent body satisfaction and adolescent body satisfaction,” said Taya Cromley, Ph.D., who led the study at University of California, San Diego. “Messages from parents about weight and body image can be communicated directly or indirectly. It’s important to consider what the message is that’s being communicated.”
The study analyzed a number of health practices, including fasting, taking diet pills, monitoring caloric intake, increasing exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables and avoiding foods high in fat.
Family dynamics were significant as well. Not surprisingly, the study also found that teens in stressed out combative family situations overate, while those in connected, healthy families overate less. I know I’m certainly more likely to hunker down with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s after a stressful day.
So stop popping diet pills, going on crash diets and skipping meals unless you want a pill-popping, crash dieting, meal-skipping teen.
Troubled by the notion that there’s yet another problem that can be blamed on parents? The good news is that you can make a positive difference. The study also found that when parents follow healthy weight-control strategies and maintain a healthy body image, their overweight teens modeled their example. What better reason to eat your fruit and veggies and go for a run?
Are you worried that your poor body image and unhealthy diet is affecting your kids?
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandynogood/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
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Dori commented on Apr 28 10 at 1:38 pmComments My father constantly commented on everything I ate, my weight, and focused obsessively on everything he put in his own mouth as well. As a result, I struggled with weight and body image issues into my 20s. Through cooking, I learned to love food. I gained control, not only over what I ate, but how I felt about myself as an extension of that. I’ve passed that positive view onto my children, imbuing them with the intelligence and control over what they eat and how to understand that one can love food, eat well and with gusto and still be healthy, in body and spirit.
Chris commented on Apr 28 10 at 2:38 pmComments This study seems to suggest, if the parents are happy with overeating and being overweight, their kids are more likely to be content with living that way too. In terms of our whole national healthcare debate, the country could save itself a lot of money by truly educating children about the science of food and nutrition, etc. We focus too much on calorie and fat count exclusively.
Eleanor commented on Apr 28 10 at 3:47 pmParents’ own body image, eating and shopping habits, and self-esteem is also impacted by issues like race, class, and how those things in turn translate into lack of access to resources. It also makes sense to look at how racism and classism affect peoples lives and life choices.
Ariel Trost commented on Apr 28 10 at 3:54 pmIf parents and other adults want great – evidence based – strategies on promoting true physical and emotional health around these issues, the book “I’m like so fat” is a MUST read! Neumark-Sztainer helps differentiate btwn the pursuit of true health and wellness and our culture’s obsession with weight.
Bernie Bernstein commented on Apr 28 10 at 4:04 pmComments I enjoyed your blog and found it on point. I truly feel that education level and certainly family economics play a big part also. The lower educated poor are forced to eat so badly that their children are destined to be overweight even if their parents do not discuss weight issues. Cheap fast foods and excessive portions are the real culprits.
Avo commented on Apr 28 10 at 4:55 pmWhen will my children learn to do what I say, not what I do???
Debby commented on Apr 28 10 at 9:18 pmI have just been struggling with this issue – what to eat! and not just calorie intake, but processed foods vs. non-processed foods. I am reading “food rules” (by the omnivore’s dilemma guy) with my older kids (twin 7 year olds) and they GET IT already.
Shanna’s favorite rule – Do not eat cereal that turns the milk a different color.
Nancy commented on Apr 29 10 at 12:01 amComments The whole family plays a role. I used to eat my brothers under the table. I was never overweight, but they commented routinely. All I got was hang ups. I finally got them to stop in my mid 20s. My parents, by contrast, had great attitudes. But that didn’t stop the hang ups.
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