Do kids who live with fat parents?

Question

Do they have a better chance of being fat than kids who live with skinnier parents. I'm just wondering if the attitude and diet of the adult will affect the child. Thank you.

Answer 1

Kids who live with fat parents have a greater chance of adopting the habits that makde the parents overweight in the first place. Plus, the parents buy and prepare food, so the kid might be forced to eat fattening, unhealthy foods.

Answer 2

Yes and no, in reality it may only be genetics that makes someone a little on the heavier side. I remember when I was at my fittest, which was arournd 11-13, i worked out constantly and ate VERY well. At 95 pounds I still had a lump of fat around my stomach while the rest of me was skin and bones.

But before that, my parents are highly overweight along with my grandmother. I was around 145 at 5"0 and was given no distinction between eating. I just ate. Anything. No one told me to stop.

Now at 17 my weight is 145 at 5"6 and i look MUCH healthier.

Answer 3

As a FAT parent (I prefer the term overweight, thank you), I feel qualified to answer this question. My weight problem stems all the way back to my childhood. My mother (who was in no way fat) showed us affection in the form of food (if we did well in school, she'd bake a cake, if we were sad or sick she'd make us ice cream...etc), so naturally, I developed a food addiction that I have carried with me and am still learning to deal with. Since I know these pitfalls, I have been able to raise my children with healthy eating habits. They will try any food I give them without a hassle, and eat lots of fruits and veggies. Sweets are given in moderation, and not as a reward or as consolation. My kids are both healthy weights, and they also have a lot of understanding about people's sizes...you'd never see MY kids making fun of people for being too fat or too skinny, they understand that people come in all sizes and it is what is inside a person that counts.

Perhaps the lot of you should look past some of your preconceived ideas about fat people....we aren't all neglectful lazy parents, just as all average weight people aren't always vigilant parents.

Answer 4

Yes. There have been studies done on this and the answer in each one I've heard of has been yes. It's not just the attitude and diet of the parent, it's what they feed their kids--the same food they are eating. I watched that show "Honey, We're Killing the Kids" a few times and it was always the same thing: the parents were fat because of what they ate, and the kids were fat because they were eating the same foods.

Answer 5

if the parents of a child are overweight due to poor eating habits then those eating habits are generally passed on to the child. Its up to the parents to encourage good healthy eating habits from day one, as a child has no idea what is good for them or not unless they are told by an adult. In saying this, if their diet is poor, and eating habits are poor the risk of the child becoming overweight its greatly increased. If the parents are over weight due to a medical problem or medication, but still eat well, then the child should be eating well too. Some parents however will eat well themselves, but allow their child to eat junk food non stop creating an opportunity for that child to become not only overweight, but to casue seriously health problems along the way. (childhood diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, high blood pressure)

Answer 6

the diet of the adults generally does affect the child's diet. i don't know many parents who make separate meals for themselves and their kids. but obesity is not only caused by diet. there can be many factors in a person becoming obese. lack of excerise, improper diet, or certain health conditions such as diabetes. just because a child's parents are large does not mean the child will be.

even if a parent is large, as long as they eat healthy kids will learn to eat healthy as well. parents that eat junk all day and don't offer fruits and vegetables as snacks will teach that same habit to their children. also, parents that use food such as candy and sweets to deal with stressful situations or to bribe their kids into acting right teach the same to their children. an occasional treat for behaving right is not a bad idea....but don't make a habit of it.....two reasons for that....kids who are bribed tend to grow up thinking they should always get something for doing something right or behaving a certain way, when that doesn't happen they act out. 2nd reason, if they have to be bribed to act right all the time then yes, all those extra calories add up and it becomes a factor in weight gain.

best advice i can offer is to eat a healthy diet with occasional treats and your kids will learn the same healthy habits.

Answer 7

I totally agree, but there is generation after generation of ignorance out there when it comes to healthy eating. People have NO idea what they actually eat in a day. I know people who think Hamburger Helper is healthy and they are over 35 years old. A better question might be, how do we re-educate people when crappy fast food is on practically every corner? Call me radical, but I like banning fast food advertising, especially from kids TV. Why did they ban cigarette advertising? Same reason, health issues.

Answer 8

It all depends on what the parents actually feed the child. If the parents are fat but don't let their kids have the food that would make them over weight then I highly doubt they would have fat children. Skinny parents could have over weight children too, it just all depends on what the kid eats.

Answer 9

Yes, because usually if the parents are heavier; then what they are eating and doing at home is unhealthy. Meaning that their child will be around that lifestyle and possibly become overweight as well.

Remember: This is not always the case.

Hope this helped!

Answer 10

Can go both ways. We know fat people with very skinny kids. I believe some people will always be naturally skinny no matter what. Knowlage of good nutrition is helpful, but forcefull deprivation on a kid may create more desire. I mean if you don't ever let your kids have candy, they will want candy more. They need moderation.