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Parents Feed Child Obesity Rates |
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Written by Craig - GKA Staff
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Wednesday, 02 March 2005 |
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Millions of children could end up with diabetes, heart disease and other problems linked to being overweight and their parents are not even aware of it, global researchers have reported.
British researchers found that many schoolchildren were overweight but their parents did not believe it, while a US team found hundreds of young children were overweight, had high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
The worldwide studies suggest better education was needed to stop the obesity epidemic, which will lead to diabetes and heart disease.
Researchers found that parents did not recognise that their children were overweight or obese. Up to three-quarters of the parents in the surveys were not aware that their children were overweight or obese.
In the survey one-third of mothers and half the fathers who were either overweight or obese rated themselves "about right. A third of obese girls and half of the obese boys also were rated by their parents as weighing "about right."
"When the weight that physicians know to be hazardously overweight is considered normal weight by the general public, major health problems are on the horizon," the researchers said.
A US study had disturbing conclusions.
The survey of 1,700, 12-13 year old children in Texas, North Carolina and California found that more than half had one or more problems - such as being overweight or having cholesterol, blood pressure or blood glucose abnormalities - that place them at high risk for diabetes and premature cardiovascular disease.
They found that 40.2% had pre-diabetes, in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.
At www.GetKidsActive.com it is our aim to fight child obesity and get our kids active. We are soon to start a special parent education programme. If you wish to be a part of this parent education programme which we plan to take around the country please email me on with your name and your location.
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