Many parents may be clueless about their child’s weight issues, contributing to the nation’s trend of childhood obesity. This according to a recent study in which researchers found that most parents think their children are smaller than they actually are – even those who are overweight or obese.
The study suggests that parents often underestimate their child’s weight, as well as the health risks that are associated with being too heavy. Nearly one third of our nation’s children are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for diabetes and other serious health conditions. So why can’t parents see the signs?
Often parents of overweight children believe that it’s just “baby fat” and it’s normal for their child to be overweight. Others are simply in denial. But, another possible answer, researchers note, is that a parent may have concluded their child is a normal weight after comparing them to their overweight peers.
Unfortunately, those extra pounds are cause for concern. Although some overweight kids do outgrow their baby fat, roughly two out of three are likely to grow up to be obese adults, according to a 2009 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
