Childhood obesity is more than being overweight -- it may reduce overall adult life expectancy because it increases lifetime risk for Type 2 Diabetes and other serious chronic conditions.
William Dietz, director of the Division of Nutrition & Physical Activity for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta , talked to health-care professionals Friday about what to do to fight what he called the obesity epidemic.
He said some neighborhoods have stores that only stock canned goods and are surrounded by fast-food restaurants.
"Although we can't link those to obesity, it clearly affects dietary quality."
Dietz said some cities have seen major supermarkets or community gardens appear in inner-city neighborhoods to offer fresher foods .
But "it's really a parenting issue, and we need parents to parent."
He said parents should set limits and control the environment of their child. It's as simple as this, he said: "If you don't want the child to eat it, keep it out of the home."
Some audience members gasped when Dietz said 22 percent of 2- year-olds have a television in their room. He suggested limiting TV time to get children moving more.
Linda Mintle, local psychologist and author of "The Positive, Practical and Inspirational Guide to Help Overweight Kids," talked about motivating children to lose weight.
She suggested an "if-then" approach, such as: "If you ride your bike for 20 minutes, then you can play with your model airplane for 20 minutes."
Parents can get their children to exercise in little ways, too, she said. Have them jump over cracks in the ground as you walk through the grocery store, for example.
Emphasize a healthy lifestyle with children, not dieting, Mintle said.
And don't single out a child - "Not 'Here you go, Johnny; hope you enjoy the carrot sticks,'" she said.
Parents should think about messages they send about their own body image, too, Mintle said. It is important not to obsess .
She talked about rewards and contracts , such as extra stay-up- late time, as ways to motivate children to lose weight .
Mintle said she thinks families are the solution, but she added, "There's no magic bullet; this takes time and it takes intentional change."
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