Feed the Children

So I was listening to this book about a mother's struggle to protect her overweight child from the diet stigma, yet still care about the health of her child. This really made me think. What is the solution to this issue? Childhood obesity is real. Yet, the cause of it varies. It is interesting also how the mother may feel so much pressure from society about her overweight child. What did she do wrong? Is she really going to let the child eat a cupcake?

Childhood is such a precious time. Children are so curious and naive, yet excited about life. It is a time when the imagination soars and the freedom to play all day without worries. No worries that is until an adult, older child, parent brings about something to worry. One such worry could be weight.

As a future dietitian, I know that a child's weigh fluctuates. I know that weight is really just a balancing act of genetic disposition and caloric intake vs burn. But I also know that feeding a child is not easy. Between snacks, allergies, pickiness, and activities it can be difficult to balance a child's food intake.

This becomes even more complicated when you are faced with options: organic? non-GMO? grassfed? free range? red-dye free? Not to mention all these specialties come at a price. A parent is faced with all these choices from the very beginning. Though, the ultimate goal for all parents is to raise a happy, healthy child, what is the best choice?

I would say there is no best choice. This is because families are all different. Children are all different. Some parents work full time and just do not have time for a homemade dinner every. single. night. Children can have peculiar taste buds and all you want is for them to eat something! Basically, it is difficult for a parent to feed a child.

I can only imagine how difficult it is to choose what to feed your child when you see parents who let their child eat only organic, non- GMO foods with absolutely no artificial or preservative ingredients. And then of course on the other end of the spectrum a parent who goes the drive thru five nights a week for a Happy Meal and snack is always Ding-dongs.

Childhood obesity is a health epidemic and to fight it we must start young and in the home. Establish good habits young and focus on maintaining health rather than weigh to encourage life-long positive body image and maintaining healthy weight.

#dietitian #thefamily