| A survey found that many Americans whose children | | | | The survey of 2,060 adults, conducted over the |
| are obese do not see them that way. That is | | | | summer by Internet research firm Knowledge |
| worrisome because obese children run the risk of | | | | Networks, collected height and weight measurements |
| diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems | | | | on the children from their parents, then used that to |
| and other ailments more commonly found in adults. | | | | calculate body mass index. When a child's BMI was |
| And overweight children are likely to grow up to be | | | | higher than the 95th percentile for children who are |
| overweight adults. | | | | the same age and gender, the child was considered |
| "It suggests to me that parents of younger kids | | | | obese. |
| believe that their children will grow out of their | | | | Based on what the parents reported, 15 percent of |
| obesity, or something will change at older ages," said | | | | the children ages 6 to 11, and 10 percent of the |
| Dr. Matthew M. Davis, a University of Michigan | | | | children ages 12 to 17, were obese. The Michigan |
| professor of pediatrics and internal medicine who led | | | | researchers said that, too, suggests parents |
| the study, released earlier this month. | | | | underestimate their children's weight. National |
| "When I see a child that is obese at these younger | | | | estimates indicate about 17 percent of U.S. children |
| ages, I take that as a sign of ways nutrition can be | | | | are obese under the standard used by the |
| improved, a child's activity level can be improved." | | | | researchers. |
| Among parents with an obese, or extremely | | | | Dr. Reginald Washington, a member of the American |
| overweight, child ages 6 to 11, 43 percent said their | | | | Academy of Pediatrics and part of the AAP's |
| child was "about the right weight," 37 percent | | | | committee on childhood obesity, noted that in about |
| responded "slightly overweight," and 13 percent said | | | | half of cases where a child is obese, one or both |
| "very overweight." Others said "slightly underweight." | | | | parents are overweight, too - and parents can take |
| For those with an obese child ages 12 to 17, the | | | | a pediatrician's concerns as a personal affront. |
| survey found more awareness that weight was a | | | | Experts said doctors need to help parents better |
| problem. Fifty-six percent said their child was "slightly | | | | understand the health risks of childhood obesity. |
| overweight," 31 percent responded "very | | | | "Obesity isn't just something that affects the clothes |
| overweight," 11 percent said "about the right weight" | | | | that you buy or how you are perceived by your |
| and others said "slightly underweight." | | | | friends and your schoolmates," Davis said. "It is |
| Dr. Goutham Rao, clinical director of the Weight | | | | something that can have health effects, not only in |
| Management and Wellness Center at Children's | | | | adulthood but in childhood." |
| Hospital of Pittsburgh, said obesity in children isn't as | | | | Alvaro Castillo has been writing about health and |
| easy to identify as in adults. "Plus, because of the | | | | specializing pregnancy along with how to deal with |
| social stigma, it's not something that parents are | | | | the first year of their baby's life for 10 years, helping |
| willing to admit to readily," Rao said. | | | | women with positive results. |