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Mental Health Corner
Mental Health Corner Childhood Obesity
By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman
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Obesity is a prevalent condition that affects approximately forty percent of American adults and twenty percent of children. Children with obesity have a higher risk of becoming adults with obesity. Adult obesity carries several significant health risks including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. Additionally, children with obesity may suffer from low
self-esteem and be subjected to bullying. There are also health risks during childhood including sleep apnea, high blood pressure and cholesterol, joint problems, and type 2 diabetes. Rising levels of obesity have led to a rise of type 2 diabetes in children. According to the American Diabetes Association, over 5,000 people under the age of twenty are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every year.
As a result, concerned parents will usually try very hard to help their child overcome their obesity problem. Unfortunately, many well-meaning parents employ counterproductive measures. These include statements such as, “Why can’t you just eat less?”, “Are you sure you want to eat that?”, and “No one will want to marry you unless you lose weight.” Children and teens with obesity issues are well aware of their difficulty and as a result often feel shame and embarrassment. They do not need reminders! When we do remind them of their obesity, we are only making them feel their shame even more acutely. As their shame increases, their resilience decreases, which makes them even more likely to binge eat, stop exercising and increase their overall food intake.
Furthermore, criticism that children and teens hear from their parents can become internalized to the degree that throughout their life they are plagued by an “inner critic” that repeats again and again the negative messages that they received in childhood. This can lead to eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Moreover, when children and teens start dieting in an effort to be thin, they can become obsessed with the diet and are at risk of developing anorexia.
Here are some pointers that can be helpful for your child: • Modeling: Parents cannot expect from their child what they are not doing themselves. If parents want children to engage in a healthy lifestyle, they need to be genuine role models.
• Health, Not Weight: The parents have to sincerely believe that body image does not define the person. The goal of healthy habits is to be healthy, not to achieve a certain body image. If a child notices that their parent is concerned about their own body image, it can lead them to feel shame about their own. • Positivity: Parents cannot let their child’s weight issue affect their attitude towards their child. They must be genuinely proud of their child’s positive qualities. If a child feels negativity from a parent, it can affect them for the rest of their life. • Dialogue: If your child come to you to discuss their weight, allow him or her to express their feelings without judgement and engage them in a dialogue with open-ended questions. • Choice of Physical Activity: Parents need to know their child and understand what kind of physical activities they would enjoy. If you know that your child happens to love rowing, then offer your child to take him boating whenever possible.
When children feel loved and understood by their parents, their chances of dealing with their issues in a healthy and positive manner is greatly increased.
