How to talk to your child about weight, so as not to grow complexes

Why obesity hysteria is bad for you

The World Health Organization is sounding the alarm over an increase in childhood obesity and has even set up a commission to eliminate it. According to her data for 2016, overweight was found in 41 million children under the age of five and in more than 340 million children and adolescents 5-19 years old. Obesity threatens type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and emotional problems.

But there is a huge and frightening but here. Obesity is a medical diagnosis. And overweight is not so simple, especially when it comes to children. In addition, even a healthy body weight has little to do with glossy standards.

Girls are in a special risk zone, since the requirements for a woman's appearance are generally higher than for a man's.

Research shows that already in preschool age, children are unhappy with their bodies. Girls begin to perceive thinness as something good even before the age of three, and at five-third of them refuse to eat in order to be slimmer.

The imposition of unnatural thinness increases the risk of disorderly and malnutrition, provokes dissatisfaction with the body and depression, and these disorders begin already at the age of 7-11 years.

Childhood obesity is dangerous, but more children suffer from eating disorders than type 2 diabetes. In every third high school student and sixth high school student, these disorders are quite serious and require medical intervention.

Why kilograms are not at all superfluous

The problem of obesity is so widespread that parents are ready to fight for the physical health of children to the detriment of psychological. But being thin isn't synonymous with health, and being overweight doesn't necessarily mean illness. Moreover, it is not always so superfluous.

To determine the norm for weight in adults, the body mass index is used, which is calculated by the formula:

BMI = weight (kg) / height² (m)

Ideally, it should be equal to 18, 5-24, 9. This means that for a person with a height of 170 centimeters and 54 kilograms, and 71 kilograms is the norm. True, there are nuances that Lifehacker has already talked about.

It's even more difficult with children. In addition to BMI, weight standards for height and gender, the history of the child's development and the physique of family members are important.

In some cases, we can talk about the age distribution of fat, which remains within the normal range. Or the child may be larger than his peers, simply because he develops at a different pace.

So do not raise complexes for children from scratch if you simply cannot cope with anxiety. And even if there is a problem, do not do it anyway, since replacing potential diseases associated with obesity with real-life disorders is not a concern.

Best think this: Research shows that not obsessing over weight prevents weight gain. This is because people give up diets and unhealthy eating habits that lead to breakdowns and other weight gain problems.

How to discuss weight with your child

Do not comment on the weight of your children

Even if the child really would not hurt to lose weight, it is not constructive to speak directly about it. If someone notes how you've gotten better, you hardly take it as appropriate advice filled with concern. Children are not some special kind of people who can be told whatever they want.

The child already knows that being slim is an important ideal. Television, books, films, surroundings keep repeating this. Constantly imposing the importance of subtlety can make even thin children shy, lower self-esteem, and increase the risk of depression. Criticism and encouragement of weight loss provoke negative self-perception and lead to poor nutrition.

If you are worried about your child's health, it is not necessary to build a conversation around weight, and even more so to arrange a gastronomic ghetto for him, while his relatives eat fatty and high-calorie ones.

Do not shift the responsibility to the children, it is all on the parents. To normalize weight, think over a balanced menu for the whole family, take care of the presence of vegetables in the house, and arrange general walks. If all this is done for the sake of health, then say so. And good health will not hurt either of you.

Pay more attention to body functionality rather than appearance

The constant enumeration of the child's external merits translates that these qualities are the most valuable. This leads to an obsession with preserving such an important asset. But you cannot completely avoid talking about appearance. The body exists, and it can do a lot of useful things: run fast, dance, draw. In general, there is a lot of value in a person, everything is not limited to appearance.

For example, your daughter dreams of a modeling career. You can discuss this in the context of thinness and beauty. And we can talk about the importance of knowledge of foreign languages, endurance and communication skills.

Be kinder to your body

You can be careful with the child, but constantly turn around in front of the mirror and scold yourself for lush hips, insufficiently thin waist, hanging belly. Only, you will probably use more harsh vocabulary while doing this. Children hear this and learn that something may be wrong with their bodies.

The atmosphere in which children grow up is very important. If you tell your daughter that she is beautiful in any weight and this is not the main thing, but you yourself are constantly on diets and worry that you cannot fit into a “pre-pregnant” dress, then the child will read the duality in this matter and be guided by your actions, and not words. Work with the sensation of your body, accept it. If you can do this in relation to yourself, then for the younger generation it will be the best example to follow.

Talk about body diversity

Not discussing the problem of physique with children is like sticking your head in the sand when a lion approaches. Not the best tactic. Much depends on what position you take in the conversation.

Explain that bodies are different and that this is normal. That society overestimates thinness, and manipulations on this topic are often aimed at enriching organizations that promise to solve a non-existent problem. Of course, focus on the age of the interlocutor and dose the information so that everything is clear.

Such conversations are also useful for children who do not have any weight problems. It will be easier for them to evaluate a person not by the shape of his body.