Childhood Obesity: Start The Right Diet While They're Young

Heavier, rounder babies have always been celebrated in society. After all, how often do people gush over an infant's plump belly and cherubim smile? Feeding a child means love and care, and a large appetite is considered "healthy."

But suddenly, it's not: adorable just becomes fat, plain and simple, no matter what parental biases say. According to Today's Parent, a study from the New York University noted that in a sample group of nearly 7,000 kids, parents believe their obese children to be "just about the right weight."

Not that anyone can blame them, these days, children all over the world are heavier than ever, with the World Health Organization reporting 41 million children under the age of five now overweight or obese. In 1990, the number was at 31 million.

"It's quite natural that parents don't recognize it, because we assess ourselves by comparison and look at everyone else," said the chair of Childhood Obesity Foundation in Kelowna, BC, Tom Washawski. "If you are obese at 16, there's an 80 percent chance you will be obese as an adult."

Most of the blame is put in the increasing consumption of processed food, combined with the decreasing amount of physical activity. Obesity comes with a long list of ailments that could affect people for most their lives, and according to Warshawski, not looking out for a young child's weight could mean that parents are setting their children for a "life of ill health."

Of course, the simplest way to monitor your child's health is through a healthy diet, but parents should be cautious of this: letting a child missing out on dessert will only lead to food sneaking. Thus, it is best for the whole family to monitor their food intake together. As Warshawski put it, "weight is a reflection of genetics and environment."

To make the switch easier, start small: choose to cook with fresh ingredients rather than processed food, or limit dining out to fast food. Dieting does not have to mean you and your children will have to starve on smaller portions, just make sure that the portions are smarter, healthier options.