Due to the recent hysteria generated regarding higher weight children, more than ever, this is the time to help our children with positive body image and intuitive eating rather than scare tactics about the horrors of childhood obesity.

Unfortunately, September is officially National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

But maybe we can turn this around using the remainder of this month and all other months to challenge the current false messages.

Here is some information I hope will be helpful.

Is There Really an Epidemic?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the prevalence of higher weight children has remained steady for the past decade. Just as in adults, children’s weights are naturally distributed according to a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve, with most children being average weight and fewer weighing above or below average.

If all children were eating healthfully and being physically active, there would still be a wide variety of weights, some children being naturally fatter and some naturally thinner.

What Are Some Problems with the Current Guidelines?

The current guidelines from the American Medical Association (AMA) assume health risk at higher weight percentiles: 85th percentile and above.

From child feeding expert Ellyn Satter, “In truth, a child growing at the upper percentile is highly likely to be just fine. What is critical is how consistent his growth has been over time. At all times, a child’s growth must be interpreted in the context of that child’s own history. It cannot be interpreted on the basis of an arbitrary cutoff.” What is normal in the context of your child’s growth patterns may be something you will need to discuss with your children’s pediatrician.

It is worth noting that while children have been growing taller and heavier, and maturing earlier for over a century, the growth charts do not reflect these changes.

How Does Children’s Weight Relate to Health?

Despite what we usually hear about the relationship between weight and health in children, several studies show that when higher weight children become higher weight adults, there is no increase in hypertension, hyperlipidemia and fasting insulin levels than in average weight adults.

In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that diabetes type II is still rare in children. Also, some fairly recent research from England showed no increase in children suffering from longstanding illnesses, including type II diabetes. 

Let me know if the above information is helpful and if you have questions. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Next month, I’ll be talking about how to help your children become intuitive eaters.

Resources:

Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, Lamb MM, Flegal KM. “Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents.” JAMA. 2010; 303(3): 242-249.
Robison J. “Helping without harming: kids, eating, weight and health.” Absolute Advantage: The Workplace Wellness Magazine. 2007; 7(1) 2-15, 30, 31.
Satter E. Your Child’s Weight: Helping Without Harming. Kelcy Press: Madison, Wisconsin, 2005.

Since 1990 registered dietitian Deborah Kauffmann, RD, LDN has been providing nutrition counseling for disordered eating utilizing an intuitive, Health At Every Size® approach. Deborah works with adults, teens and children/parents. She is one of the pioneers of the HAES (SM) approach in the Baltimore area. Deborah also offers Largely Positive, a free support group for adults of size promoting size acceptance and self care. Her private practice is Nutrition Counseling for Intuitive Eating.