America’s childhood obesity epidemic is not just the children’s fault; their parents are equally accountable. A study done on how parents are key players in the prevention and treatment of weight-related problems found that mothers who were dissatisfied with their own bodies will in turn, have daughters’ who will think similarly about themselves (Golan & Crow, 2004). Parents who are very strict, or very lenient about body image in their homes, will most likely have children who suffer from either anorexia/bulimia or childhood obesity. A study done by the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota found how remarks on body image in the home from parents can impact their children. A father being interviewed about his daughter said, “I tell her to quit wearing such tight fitting clothes. I guess if you could rephrase that I’d really be trying to tell her to lose some weight so those clothes don’t fit you so tight (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005).” Children will listen and observe to so much from their parents’ examples. It is so important that parents define and model body image in a positive way to their children. If parents do so, children will be more satisfied and comfortable with their own bodies, and therefore, will be preventing serious weight problems waiting to happen in the future.
Not only does the parents’ idea of body image strongly correlate with childhood obesity, but the lifestyle they live is very much reflected in their own kids’ behavior. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education found that parents can serve as the first model of eating to their children. They found that parents who tend to eat too much, or too fast even if they are full will display a negative example for their children (Golan, Moria, Weizman, & Abraham, 2001). The study suggested that parents need to present a healthy eating style in the home, and to model healthy selection of foods as well as creating opportunities for regular physical activity for them and their children. In order for there to be any improvement in childhood obesity, parents need to focus less on weight and more on behaviors and overall health. Being a positive role model that encourages theses healthy behaviors to children is the first place for parents to start (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005). It is essential for parents to be aware the even though they are setting a perfect example of overall health, it is possible for their children to still develop weight-related problems because of the prevalence of so many other influential factors (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005). Advertisements of junk and fast food on televisions, in magazines, and on billboards are always going to do a good job at enticing the children of America. Along with food advertisements, sedentary activities such as computer and video games are destroying children’s participation in indoor and outdoor physical activity. A parent cannot give up on their children, no matter how strong the influence of negative factors is. A model presented in the Journal of Nutrition Education emphasizes the importance of parenthood presence. The model emphasizes that, “the parent is active, being there, taking responsibility, and serving both as a source of authority and a role model for the obese child (Golan, Moria, Weizman, & Abraham, 2001).”
