Many parents and health care providers are concerned about the obesity epidemic, especially as the rates begin to reach down to children and infants. Currently, it is thought that one out of ten toddlers under the age of 2 in the US is overweight by some degree. For young children, however, extra weight can be a good thing, and is usually outgrown with little to no health problems. Not all parents are so unfazed by the sight of their chubby little ones.
“I have seen parents putting their infant and 1-year-old on diets because of history in one parent or another,” Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, chair of the nutrition committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
In some extreme cases, parents have been found starving their infants in hopes of keeping them slim and trim. Though, even in milder cases, parents have worried about over feeding their children and have tried to keep their little ones from putting on too many pounds. Sadly, some doctors have even given the OK to concerns over these infants.
Dr. Bhatia told ABC, “We need to stop the notion that fat, cuddly, cute babies are a good thing.”
When it comes to feeding infants and toddlers, what they eat is often more important than how much their weigh. A larger baby who is breastfed and given a diet of fruits and vegetables is significantly healthier than a thin child who eats french fries and chocolate milk. What foods the parents choose to feed their child is a greater indicator of health than how much weight gets put on. Choosing healthy foods on a regular basis should be the goal for parents who are worried about their children’s health. – Summer, staff writer
Related Articles:
- More Than 80% Of Parents Feed Their Kids Fast Food Once A Week
- Lack Of Sleep For Babies & Toddlers May Increase Obesity Risk
- Kids Are Flooded With Junk Food Advertising
- Some Parents Are Using Personal Trainers To Help Their Children Lose Weight
Wow… I simply couldn’t imagine not feeding my child just because they are ‘fat’. While I do believe parents should watch what their children eat, a ‘diet’ sounds a little too strict. Simply limit bad foods and offer good food. When kids are young they won’t know whats healthy and not if it’s the only thing offered to them.