What to do (and avoid) if you feel that your child may be too fat.
First, do not panic!
We understand you to be completely lost, the headlines and even the public health experts repeat it none stop – Obesity is the great evil of the century. Obesity is on everyone’s mouth. Obesity this, obesity that…
We’re constantly reminded that obesity is linked to many diseases, that it’s pressing to lose weight (and keep it off) otherwise obesity is a condemnation.
No wonder you’re freaked out if your child (or yourself!) is heavier than what people make us believe is the norm.
You may feel that:
What is childhood obesity?
Theoretically, childhood obesity is determined according to growth charts, which are based on population averages. You know, these curves where your family doctor indicates the weight and length of your child at each appointment.
The World Health Organization defines it as “an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that poses a risk to health”.
In concrete terms, it is a multifactorial and complex problem. The determinants of obesity act synergistically. No, obesity is not the result of simply eating too much and being a couch potato! In fact, the physiological causes of obesity are far from well understood by scientists. At this point, be wary of anything that guarantee weight control. Be wary of your own beliefs even…
We have to reflect on our beliefs related to obesity. Often, we want to believe that the solution to obesity is easy, so we adopt the arguments that confirm our opinion.
On top of that, what some people think they know about weight control has been “taught” to them by the weight loss industry.
The weight loss industry has all the advertising money to tell us exactly what we want to believe: the body is malleable, the weight loss is accessible, and anything is possible with enough willpower …and our weight loss products!
But let’s be lucid, it’s an industry that wants to see us fail and come back for more products. It doesn’t have our best interest in mind!
Nobody can guarantee weight loss.
Well beyond your child’s willpower
Body weight development is complex because it’s influenced by a multitude of factors. Many of these factors, and especially their interactions, are poorly known and out of our control. The determinants involved are:
That being said, you and your family can take action now. A starting point for the nutritional treatment of childhood obesity is ultimately quite simple: adopt a balanced diet. However, from your kids point of view, it is not so simple since they are not usually responsible for meals planning and shopping. That’s where it becomes a little more complex.
The nutritional treatment of childhood obesity must be part of a family plan. The whole family must engage in healthy habits, and a balanced diet must become part of the family’s lifestyle.
Not only will all of the family members benefit from these good habits, but doing otherwise would only isolate and stigmatize the child with excess weight.
The child isolated could think it’s unfair (with reasons) and feel helpless and lonely, ultimately losing motivation and being depressed.
Besides, the whole family is encouraged to become involved, not to “support the child with obesity” but because acquiring good habits is desirable for all, regardless of their body weight. It goes without saying that to teach by example is always impactful.
The nutritional treatment of childhood obesity must be part of a family plan, where everyone works together.
- Obesity = condemnation to poor health (that’s wrong!)
- Obesity = fault of your child/yourself (that’s wrong too!)

- Genetic and biological factors
- hormones, heredity, disease, gender, ethnicity, etc.
- Personal and psychological factors
- anxiety, perfectionism, desire to please, low self-esteem, etc.
- Family factors
- eating and physical activity habits, culinary skills, erroneous beliefs, family dynamics, parents’ attitudes towards their own weight, etc.
- Social factors
- social norms of thinness and beauty, socio-economic status, type of work, peer pressure, etc.
- Environmental factors
- place of residence, access to healthy food, presence of elevators and escalators, lack of bike lane, portion size, ready-to-eat food offer, public policies, etc.

Get allies!
Professional support may be recommended depending on the situation. If you think that professional help is needed, know that many professionals can help you in different ways: physicians, dietitians, psychologists, kinesiologists. And in that case, look for empathic and caring professionals. All family members should feel comfortable with their health team.Empathic and caring professionals with whom the family feels good can help support lifestyle changes that will last.
What can I do now?
Simple and concrete actions can be incorporated into your family routine now. The main goal is to choose what the family enjoys and which actions are likely to become a new habit. Let’s be realistic, a habit takes time to implement, so be kind to yourself! We suggest three simple ideas. Don’t hesitate to come up with your own modifications. Try out different things as it’s the best way to find what works for your family! Involve your children to suggest ideas to improve your family health and to adopt a healthier lifestyle (you understand at this point that it is better to avoid presenting the idea as “the little one must lose weight”).-
Have snacks easily accessible
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Avoid free-for-all without falling into restriction
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Involve the whole family and don’t isolate people with excess weight
Involve the whole family and don’t isolate family members with obesity: health is good for everyone!
You’ve just taken the first step!
Caring for the health of your child and your family is a sign that you are a good parent! Keep in mind that incorporating new eating habits is good for everyone, no matter their weight. Creating new habits is an ongoing process, with lots of trial and error. The important thing is to go at your own pace and aim for improvement, not perfection. Improvement is accessible to everyone, perfection, to no one!
Finally, if you believe that professional help might be useful, don’t hesitate to consult. Sometimes it can be the little kick needed to know how and where to start.
Improvement is accessible to everyone, perfection, to no one!
References
World Health Organization
(FRENCH) Treatment of childhood obesity
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