Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Are women responsible for obesity among children?
Women have been blamed for many of the world's problems since Eve in the Garden of Eden. But when I heard women were being blamed for childhood obesity, I was more than skeptical. The theory is that when American women started to enter the workforce en masse in the 1970s and '80s, kids started getting fatter. (Watch video)
Lew Fuller of the Obesity Society, a scientific society that studies the topic, says it's not that women shouldn't go to work, it just means that when women did go to work there was no one home to make balanced meals and make sure the kids got out and exercised. Some of the working mothers we talked to acknowledged that their haste can make make for bigger waists. They said they were often too tired after working all day to make a meal for their kids and ended up picking up fast food. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, when children and teens eat fast food, they consume more calories, fat, carbohydrates, sugars and sugary beverages. Does that mean that Mom is to blame for the 16 percent of American children that are overweight? (That's three times the number of kids that were overweight in 1980.) Not so fast, according to Kathryn Thomas of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "At it's very simplest, our kids are taking in a lot more calories than they are burning off. There are a lot of reasons for that. It's not just because they aren't eating as many dinners at home," she says. Thomas recommends all members of American families take a close look at their eating and exercise habits. "We need to get physical education back into schools. We need to get the junk food out of schools. We need to make communities safer for kids to walk and bike and play," says Thomas. So weight management begins in the home, with Mom and Dad. But it continues at school and in the community. And instead of pointing fingers at working Moms, maybe we should be looking in the mirror. What do you think? For more on this and other diet and fitness information, check out Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Fit Nation segment every Friday on "American Morning." Also, sign up for the Fit Nation Challenge - click here for details. 209 Comments
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Children do not get out and exercise as much because of the concern for abuse and abduction. When I was a chld, we rode our bikes all day and were allowed out of doors without an adult. Not now. So, because parents are busier, kids get less exercise.
As a working mother of 3, with one chubby little girl, I feel more than a little guilty. It is absolutely true that if I were a stay at home mom I would have the time and energy to cook them breakfast, pack them lunch and cook dinner. What we would be eating, I'm not sure...whatever they have at the local food shelf I guess.
I do have to say that I hate their school menu. They need to make some sort of nationwide law banning junk food on school menus. They claim that the menu fits nutrition guidelines, but how can a cinnamon roll for breakfast and nachos or pizza for lunch be healthy? I'd like to know who's guidelines they go by... But, if I didn't have to work 50 hours a week I could provide their breakfast and lunch from home...so maybe it is all my fault. Or their dad's fault for not making enough money to support me staying home. Or society's fault for being so greedy and making everything so dang expensive.
I think it's completely unfair to only point the finger at working moms. As mentioned in the article, we need to point the finger at the availability of junk food in schools (worst meal/snack I was able to get while in school was pizza and there was 1 soda machine for a school of over 2,000 high school students that wasn't "turned on" until school ended). We need to look at developers creating all these beautiful subdivisions in Suburban, America...there are so many of these lovely neighborhoods that have few or no sidewalks, few common areas and "tot-lots" or common playgrounds--local governments should require that developers offer these ammentities in these neighborhoods to help promote safe places for kids to play and for all residents to become good neighbors. We also need to look at schools that have eliminated P.E. from their curriculum--they need to add it back in--maybe since schools are always so pressed for money, the federal government should make a few curriculum guidelines and send money to support those programs (i.e. mandatory P.E., Math, Science, Language Arts, and History). Maybe then we won't be considered by the rest of the world to be a country full of fat dummies.
Yes, I do believe it is the parents fault for their children's weight problems. It is rare to see an overweight child with healthy weight parents or vice versa. So instead of trying to fix the problem of childhood obesity, adults should work on their own over-eating and learn to create a healthy home for their children. But it is the American way to blame others for our own faults....
Hi Betsy,
YES! It is important to feed our children a healthy diet and TEACH our children how to eat healthy. I raised my children on a plant based diet. Of course, there are times they want to eat pizza with their friends, grab a quick burger and fries, but my children know the rules. I taught it to them! I thought it was the best gift I could gift them, the gift of healthy eating. It was! I know it is difficult for working Moms but hello crockpot, good~bye fast food! Roughly translated is: Hello Healthy life! Good~bye short life with diseases. We are what we eat and we must make better food choices for our sake as well as our children's. Bon Appetit!
As a working mother, I do as much as I can to make sure my daughter (and fiance) eat healthy meals...but what about Dad? Since both Mom and Dad are working, where does Dad's role in this fall? Perhaps the problem is really that men aren't willing to fill in the void when their wives are exhausted. Gender roles may be to blame for this, not women.
Children eat what their parents eat, so these working moms and dads need to assess their own habits and how that affects their growing children.
Both the mother and father are to blame for their child's obesity. They are the adults who make the choices of what to buy and feed their children. They are the ones who make the choice as to whether or not they allow their children to be babysat by a TV or computer.
Abuse and abuduction has existed for many years although it seems it's published in the media more nowadays. Children just don't play as much as they use to because of the easy access to videogames and the computer that the parents don't regulate.
Children don't get fat at school - it ALL starts in the home. Doesn't research show that more and more toddlers are overweight? They start off life on the wrong foot due to mom AND dad's poor examples and choices. Stop blaming the schools! Their menus are far healthier now than when we were kids! I recently had lunch with my son's first-grade class (in the deep south) and most of the kids who bought lunch, which was only about 1/2 the class, ate their brocolli. Those who brought lunch from home had mostly healthy choices with a small special 'treat' thrown in.
I believe that the poor eating habits of our children are related in part to the lack of time and energy and resources to prepare balanced and hearty meals. The fact is that it is cheaper to load up on empty calories than to buy quality food and prepare it. A trip to a Walmart, watching the hurried and stressed mom's at 4:30PM will show that. Many are running through the aisles, grabbing the cheapest, quickest to prepare items to throw at the family in time for dinner.
The big problem is the lack of regulation of prepared foods in this country. Although, food intake is only one aspect of the obesity problem in our children. It does make a good starting point.
Another possible cause for the spike in obesity in the 70's and 80's is a surge in the use of high fructose corn syrup in most processed foods (including bread, yogurt, juice, cookies, canned soup, canned fruit, etc.). High fructose corn syrup is a complex carb that is more difficult for our bodies to break down, so perhaps this is a bigger cause for the rise in obesity in America.
Even if parents (Mom or Dad) were preparing meals at home, they would likely be using some processed food to prepare the meal that contain high fructose corn syrup.
Articles like this do nothing but pit mothers against each other, and are basing their claim on a false premise. My grandmother worked full time back in the 50's. Lots of mothers worked full time during WWII in the 40s.
I'm a working mother, and my kids play outside EVERY DAY at day care. There are no TVs, which can't be said for the kids who stay home all day plugged into their video games. If you ask me, the ready availability of arcade/video games that started to came out in the 1970s are more to blame for obesity in kids since they encourage sedentary activity. It has nothing to do with whether the mom works. Complete garbage.
I want to note that I agree with the posters who say it is BOTH Mom & Dad's responsibility to make sure the kids are eating right and exercising if BOTH parents are working.
My husband and I draw up a weekly dinner menu, and while one of us "unwinds" with the kids, the other cooks a quick nutritious meal from scratch EVERY nite (we do take turns, and one nite a week we either order in, or go out as a treat). There are plenty of easy "staple" based recipe resources out there, so no excuses in my book. Are we tired? Yes - but we have committed to this as a priority for us. Also - our kids do not play on the computer or video games at home. On weekends, they play in the backyard, or we go to the library or a park as a family. We didn't need technology to entertain ourselves growing up, and we don't think think our kids do, either.
How about let's stop pointing fingers altogether and simply DO something about it? Who cares whose fault it is as long as we can see a solution.
Put recess back into schools. Stop this nonsense of banning tag. Quit suing people because your kid fell down on the playground unless there's some glaring safety hazard there and it wasn't just the kid having a clumsy moment. Keep having gym classes, and put them back in places where they've ben removed. Health officials, stop flinging raw nutrition facts at people and try enlisting some folks to write up some recipes for fast, easy, healthy meals that parents on the go can whip up in a hurry. Shop on the outside parameters of the grocery store, where most of the unprocessed foods lie. Pay attention to you're kid's health and safety, but don't be paranoid - know that there will be scraped knees along the way, but they'll come out better off if it means they're out there moving around.
It absolutely has to do with whether you have the time or strength to feed healthy foods (working or at home). I was at home for over 5 years, and recently went back to work full time, and I'm now pregnant with #3. I can tell you that if you meal plan and grocery shop, there's no excuse for not eating right. Yes, the meals aren't going to be fancy, but there are alternatives to fast food. Try crock pots, pulling out chicken and throwing marinade on it overnight so it's ready when you get home. It easier to stop and get fast food after working all day, but I did that when I was at home, and I had even more work to do while I was at home. Just because you're at home, doesn't mean you have all the time in the world or strength for that matter. Step up and start planning better to eat better.
The rise in fast-food and restaurant-food consumption definitely has a lot to do with the obesity crisis, and it's unrealistic to expect people will shift their habits back to eating more meals at home. Rather than blame working mothers or anyone else for this, we need to accept the reality that restaurant meals are now daily or near-daily occurrences, not special occasions, for most Americans. Fast-food restaurants and other restaurants could serve healthy foods and portion sizes, but they choose not to. It's time we demand a change.
This is the epitomy of junk science. Correlation does not equal causation. And since when have fathers abdicated their roll as a parent. Father's are just as responsible.
Rebecca - How could I have forgotten about corn syrup? You have a point. I have a hard time finding ANYTHING without it nowadays. They're even putting it in those bottled teas now - making them taste terrible in my opinion. Try to find pure juice? Nope. Corn syrup. Like that flavored creamer for your morning coffee? Corn syrup. It's everywhere, even in things you wouldn't expect. Now the creamer I've given in on, since I don't use that much - but juices I will put right back on the shelf if I see anything but juice listed. And I don't even have kis - I just don't like putting that stuff in me. Affects the flavor, for one thing. I just don't understand why we need all those fillers.
Why can't Dads make the healthy meals at home too? Why is that job always relegated to the women in the household? I like to think we've moved beyond the 1950s and that now both parents share responsibility of their children. I think focusing on what kids eat at school is definitely key. I remember HIGHLY unhealthy lunches in my high school cafeteria. And in middle school, the greasy pizza didn't whet my appetite so I went for a dessert bar and a diet Coke instead. Yum.
The very notion that working "women" are to blame for childhood obesity is offensive and archaic. What about dads? Why is the working woman victimized as irresponsible. In today's economy, it is almost impossible to live on one income, yet still mothers are blamed because society has not stepped up to the plate to accomodate the rising costs of living. In a two parent family, when both parent work, it is the responsibility of BOTH PARENTS to ensure kids lead healthy lifestyles. CNN: Shame on you!
This provides even more proof that when women go to work, they are still expected to fulfill the role of traditional wife and mother - cooking, cleaning and taking almost complete responsibility for raising healthy children.
What about dad? All these overweight children must live with single moms, no fathers or extended families that live together or help out. It always amazes me that fathers or other family members are not taken into account in these studies. How about some real science that isn't just looking for an easy conclusion to blame mom and grab a headline. Aren't we passed this already?
I agree and disagree with many of the statements that have been said. First, everything is relative and each person will have a different situation that he/she is comming from, but there are a few things that could be done by everybody. I do not have kids and I am currently in medical school so I know what it is like to not have time to prepare a a healthy meal. But where there is a will there is a way. First, fill the house with healthy snacks such as fruit, veggies, whole grain ceral bars. I always have an apple in my purse when I need a pick me up. The crockpot is a lifesavor. Also make a large dish of something that will give lots of leftovers. When I was growing up my mother would make three meals on sunday afternoon so that the family would have food for the rest of the week. I know that she would have rather done something else but it was worth it to her. Lastly, I would like to say that it is a shame that it is not safe for kids to go outside and play anymore with out supervision. My parents never had to worry about my brother and I.
It is the adult who gave the child the junk, so that means both mom and dad can be held responsible. Also parents need to teach their children healthy habbits. Stop trying to throw the blame on everyone else. Here is a simple solution...Put down the fork and back away from the table when you are full. This has worked for me for the past 22 years!
You know what I find interesting? Fingers always point at women for some reason...as if men/fathers are blameless to the point of unquestionable unaccountability. Maybe if the fathers were in the homes, being the leaders/providers that they should be for their children, then the mothers would be able to stay home and raise the family.
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Adam had stayed home with his wife...or at the very least, when approached by God for questioning, if he had been responsible enough to take ownership of his own behavior instead of pointing the finger at the woman and saying 'it's all her fault...and yours, too, for giving her to me.' As Adam failed to be accountable for the results of his own behavior, even now, men fail to take responsibility. I guess it's easier to blame the women who stay and work and take care of the children struggling to raise them on their own than to look at the fathers who abandoned their families & dodge child support and expect them to be...well...men
I find it amazing that whenever people talk about things that are wrong with children in our society, society ends up pointing at women. Are men (dads)not to shoulder any of the scrutiny when it comes to our children's diet and exercise habits?
Where is the study that shows there are more overweight children in homes with working mothers? I am a SINGLE working mother at one point I went to school full time and worked 40 hours a week. My child is healthy and active, she swims 3 to 4 days a week. I make a point to cook at least 5 meals a week and I pack her lunch for school! Yes, I am tired but I make a point to educate my daughter about healthy food choices and the importance of regular physical activity. The problem is NOT working mothers, the problem is not recognizing the problem and not taking responsibility for the actions that cause our children to become obese in the first place. Working mother or not.
Wow, sure seems like everyone wants to point fingers at anything but themselves. Our children are fat because the parents are fat. I'm tired of hearing the excuse that the schools are at fault. If you don't want your kid to eat what the school is providing, pack their lunch for them. And maybe you wouldn't need two incomes if you would cut back on your expenses. Do you really need the $50K car and the $400K house?
As a working mother of two young children, blaming the working mom troubles me greatly. In my opinion, the reasons for child obesity are very complex and if you want to pass blame around, there are plenty of worthy candidates. My two children, do not happen to be overweight at 8 and 5, but from very early on, they ate well. Whatever I made for dinner, was their dinner. I refused to become a short order cook, as so many mothers I happen to know fall prey to. I refuse to give my children mac and cheese or chicken fingers every night. Although my meals may be quick ones, I always try to include all food groups. Occasionally there are some fast food nights, like those where sport practices take place at 5:30pm of all times. What on earth are parents supposed to do in these cases? I think moderation is key. I think exercise is important. If they are involved in sports, and they eat well balanced meals, the occasional fast food, isn't going to be an issue.
BIG BUSINESS and the wealthy is where obsesity came from. Remember in the 60' & 70's fruits & vegtables were cheap and sugary snacks were expensive. Now healthy food is expensive. Why? The illegal immigrant who harvested the product hasn't gotten a raise in 30 years. Yet our government tells us we need more illegals to do those kind of jobs.
Farming has become big business. Gone are the days of mom and pop farms. Corporate farms want big profits and to get that they pay there workers nothing, cut corners on quality and sanitation (spinach anyone?)all due to GREED. This was a nice try by the right wing conservatives (who probably funded the study) to try to put women back in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant.
As a teacher, I hear parents and others criticize school lunches as unhealthy.
This criticism does not stand up to examination. School lunches meet federal guidelines for nutrition. Period. What many people mistake for "healthy" is the kind of salad and carrot sticks lunch that would be appropriate for a grown woman who is trying to lose weight. They confuse "being on a diet" with a proper diet. School lunches are essentially the only nutritional meal that a large number of our nation's children get each week. And, yes, the kids can eat pizza or hamburgers without eating "junk food." The junk food accusation derives from a basic misunderstanding of what goes into a fast food meal as opposed to a school lunch. People also commonly misunderstand the difference between portion control at schools and portion control at a fast food restaurant. They are not the same. Schools cannot force students to eat only the most healthy things on the menu. Rather, federal law requires that we present them with healthy choices and encourage healthy eating while presenting a balanced diet. Federal laws establish goals for schools to provide healthy food. For the most part, we succeed in following those laws.
This is a topic that has hit home with me this week. My children have eaten out 3 times this week due to my work schedule and their swim/soccer practice. My 10 yr old is predisposed to a being on the large boned heavy side and I really have to monitor her food intake which is difficult cuz I do not want to create any "food issues". My husband is working out of town so I am on my own with their activities, each only have one but they are 2 or 3 times a week, this adds up to 4 weeknights. I always prided my self on cooking a balanced dinner 5 or 6 times out of the week and now feel guilty about this past week. Hopefully next week will be better. So I agree that mother's working full time contributes to the obesity of some children. My younger daughter eats just as much as my older one but is thin, part of the obesity problem lies in the genetic makeup of some people.
I am a working mother with a daugther who has been over the 95% percentile weight chart since she's been 6 months old. While doctors insist she's fine, I continue to make the best choices I can for her. I agree that IF I COULD stay home, my daugther could be more active and I would have more time to devote to focusing on healthier eating habits. I do what I can with what I've got. I always try to choose the healthiest things I can while we're out..etc. Mothers have so many things on their plate as it is, I don't think any group should be labeled "the reason why kids are overweight." There are so many factors that contribute to unhealthy lifestyles.
i am a working mother of 1 son. But not by choice. I would much rather be a stay at home mother but the times we live in almost makes that impossible. So many people have both parents working and still are barely able to make ends meet. I think that homes in which the mother works do create problems such as not enough time to cook decent meals, dealing with babysitters, not enough family time. But until times change back to what they were in say the 50's people will have to make the best effort in raising their kids and working. While i won't say we don't ever get fast food, for the most part i come home and find a healthy meal that takes less time to cook. We then have our family time and get ready for the next day. Eventhough i am a believer of womens rights, i think the days where the mother stayed at home and took care of the house while raising the babies created less problems than there are today. And the home life was much happier.
It's interesting that, in most places, this story has been titled "Working Mothers Are Responsible for...".
If the sexes were equal, both parents would be responsible. The data would suggest that BOTH parents need to cut down on their work hours and add more family time. But, no. Once a problem arises, the blame lies with women. Obviously, "working" is still an obligation for men and is secondary for women (whose first obligation is "at home"). What a pity to see that we're still so entrenched in 1950's-style sex roles.
My daughter is in sixth grade at a public middle school. I was shocked to learn that the children are only required to take PE one year out of the three. My daughter has often complained that there are no vegetables or fruit served in the cafeteria.
Also, if both parents work and contribute to the household income, why can't BOTH parents be responsible for providing healthy meals. I think men can cook as easily as men. Maybe men, in general, need to be more involved with households chores!!!!
It is completely ridiculous to blame working mothers for childhood obesity. Start by blaming doctors who tell mothers not to feed their children until they are six months of age. My mother fed me the first time at 5 days old. I see so many babies crying because they are hungry and they have an abundance of milk fat because their bodies hang onto everything. My daughter is nine months old, happy, strong, walking and not obese. She ate first meal at 4 days old. The school system needs to reinstitute recess and gym classes. Children not only need to expend energy and exercise it also helps with their concentration. Yes parents are to blame also. TURN OFF THE TV AND LOCK UP THE VIDEO GAMES. It disgusts me when a child only talks about what level they achieved on some stupid and often violent game. What happened to getting out and playing frisbee with your kid? This simple activity solves many issues - obesity in children, obesity in parents and if you are outside with your child you can watch out for dangers yourself. There are many factors that play into childhood obesity and pointing the finger (as we are often fond of doing) at working mothers doesn't cut it. Why doesn't everyone step up to the plate and accept responsibility because this is a multi faceted problem not just a 'my mom works' problem.
If we blame the working mothers then society is off the hook. Working women already carry an unimaginable burden of guilt - being blamed for not being good enough spouses, employees, mothers, or friends because there are not enough hours in the day. American society is about consumption - consumption of natural resources, oil, electronic gadgets, foreign imports, and yes -food. We need to bring PE back into the schools every day (my daughter's school as ONE HOUR of PE 5 DAYS A WEEK), get junk food out of the schools, start viewing junk food advertisers like cigarette companies, and take responsibility as a society for our children. Blaming mom is a quick fix that makes the stay at home moms feel pompous - fact is, as working moms we are buried under so much guilt - we are numb to feeling anymore.
im curious, about the same time that women went to work full time and in large numbers, does the article also mention the number of SINGLE mothers who were left with children to raise? i am quite sure that mothers working and childhood obesity go hand in hand. not only are more mothers raising children alone, the food is being used as a form of therapy to calm these shattered homes. dont even mention the fact that food is acting hand in hand with television as a babysitter for children.
i am in no way bashing single mothers, i am one. i know how much easier it is to stop at someones drive-thru than to go home and fix a decent meal. it is an unfortunate situation but it happens daily. i dont know what will fix this problem, other than better morals and fixing broken homes.
I think there's another reason, too, and alas, it probably is more the fault of mothers than fathers, only because it tends to be mom that teaches us about food and nutrition.
It's this--many moms, with their own never-end dieting concerns, teach their kids to eat "diety" instead of teaching them to sense their hunger and fullness. Anybody that's been on the diet track knows that eating "diety" is part of the problem, not the solution. Linda Moran (author of How to Survive Your Diet)
The fact that a mother morks does not in itself make her kids fat, but it may influence her choices in meal planning and whether she has the time or energy to see that her children get sufficient exercise. Rather than fatty convenient food she should choose easy, healthy meals that she can prepare quickly, crock pots, steamers and woks come in pretty handy. Many foods can be purchased pre-washed and cut if she is that pressed for time, albeit they come at a premium price. If money is no object, many quality restaurants will offer healthy meals and give the family the opportunity to sit down together without household distractions. As always, time and money are usually inversely proportional.
Both my parents worked when I was a child and teenager. I spent my afternoons outside with neighborhood kids. If they were home I would still have been outside. I didn't eat and play video games all day. And there was no fear of abduction.
The neighborhood I live in now has kids are outside without adults. They aren't overweight. They are safe. They play together.
Notice that is once again its the woman's fault. Where is it written that the wife has to be responsible for making sure the kids eat a healthy meal? Why does the woman have to be blamed because she's to tired after a day of work to whip a big meal ala June Cleaver. If more men would lend a hand at meal prep time rather than sitting on the couch watching some stupid TV/sports show while waiting to be served dinner, everyone would benefit.
I could not believe this article – Just blame Mom again. Doesn’t she have enough to deal with?
There are so many factors: • Computer Games • Elimination or cut back of PE in schools • Dads do not pull their weight on home duties • Artificial ingredients and processed foods • School menus and snacks • School lack of recess time • Societies allowance/acceptance of overeating • No real education on nutrition and health • Cost of living • Not enough outdoors activities in safe environments • Expense of extracurricular activities • Rise of Fast Food accessibility And the list goes on. It is no one particular thing but a culmination of all of the factors that lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.
I cannot tell you how many meals I have prepared of baked chicken, brown rice and a green vegetable; old fashioned oatmeal; home made lunches; salads and stir-fried vegetables entrees I have prepared for my family. That is while holding down a job and even attending college. They are active in scholastic and recreational sports and have a memembership at the local YMCA. My children are not exactly lean-mean-fighting-machines by any means, however, to hang the dilemma of overweight children on the female parent is once again tripping the wire of sexism. Last time I looked it took two people to have a child. So, are the real thoughts being presented today regarding the mother's "responsibility" simply a reminder that our attitudes towards women haven't changed all that much - that women are entirely responsible for just about anything negative you can come up with about how a child develops? Is this occuring all the while "Daddy" is busy focasing his attention on what? - His PERSONAL professional life where he isn't viewed as the first or second line of defense on the home front on such matters because he has better things to do than be a societal partner in his own family's structure? It would be a great service to parents everywhere to see the same subject reviewed for the same scrutiny of the father's responsibility and role in maintaining a healthy family in our busy, techno-filled, I-needed-it-yesterday world.
Stories and research on obesity in America are grossly inaccurate, and press is not paying attention to the REAL causes of obesity. First, it's economic. Working classes are having more difficult time affording healthier foods in the supermarket, such as produce and chicken. Food pantries only distribute non-perishable food such as pasta and other high carb/high sugar foods. In addition, there was a recent news report that the amount of food stamps need to be increased, because they do not cover the cost of food! Second, there is no physical activity provided in schools. Under the No Child Left Behind Act and the pressure for schools to perform academincally, recess and gym classes are being cut or even eliminated. Yet, schools are providing computer classes -- as far as I am concerned, learning computers in school is inappropriate and does not constitute an "academic" area of study required. You can not blame Obesity on working mothers --Mothers HAVE to work to cover costs associated with inflation for housing, fuel, food, essentially, basic human needs.
Typical. Everything goes back to the woman having to plan everything making sure everything is taken care of. When is the man going to have to step up? Why is the blame always on mom?
Should parents control the diet of children, yes. But I have two picky eaters who palate is difficult to please when it comes to veggies on the plate. And have I tried everything? Yes. As some comments said, focus on the fix, not the fault. I too place major blame on school food. My toddler (1 year old) now gets school food, and his meals consist of muffins, fruit loops, cinnamon buns, chicken nuggets, burgers, hot dogs, bologna sandwiches, to which I have no control over. I am not allowed to provide his food. The point, a toddler should not be eating all of this, I don’t allow it at home, but have no choice in school. I guess I should be lucky he gets a veggie and fruit served along side.
I have long said that disposable income is a bad thing. Duel working households drive up prices and keep wages low due to more people in the workforce. My wife has stayed home since my first child was born. We have sacrificed many things, but I believe it was in the childrens best interest. Most of my childrens friends parents work and the kids play a lot of video games, eat fast food 5 or 6 times a week. I believe video games are as much a cause of expanded waist lines as fast food. I do not let my kids play video games on school nights and they rarely get fast food. All three are slender.
As a working mother of 2 kids I understand how hard it is to find time to make good meals for the kids. It would also go a long way to have after school activies not cost so much so that kids can move around.
Want to put your child in a sport? Try finding one for less then $100 a month. Quality costs people say. Maybe if we had more activites that you don't have to strain your budget for, it would be easier for children to get out and be active.
If parents teach children right from a young age, (when they start asking for snacks) that at the morning and bedtime snacks times they have to be a healthy choice. (Fruit, Yogurt, Nuts, Toast, Cheese)No other choices!
Then allow them one snack time in the afternoon, to make their own choice. They will go for the unhealthy stuff but as long as you Keep portion sizes in moderation, it should balance out. The same goes for school age children. Morning snack has to be healthy. And if they don't eat it, the next day they only get heathly snacks in their lunch. No Junk! As for dinner time, they can learn to wait. I get off work daily at 5 pm and by the time supper is on the table it is usally 6-6:30pm. They have learned that they have to wait. It won't hurt them. If they are bugging non-stop give them a few peices of cheese, or some green pepers slices (which you probally cutting up for your supper anyways) One other thing I see way to many children doing is drinking pop. My children are allowed only one pop per day! And I only stock clear pop in the fridge or Nestea. Which is lower in calories and sugar. Wieght is not the only reasons I have made these choices but also for the health of their Teeth. It all starts with the weekly grocery shopping! Start purchasing healthier food and you'll be doing yourself and your children a favour.
My son is doomed; my husband and I both work full time, there is diabetes and obesity on both sides of the family. Knowing this, when my son decided to take his weight issue into his own hands and become a vegetarian (not vegan, he loves his milk) we supported him. His dad and I are dealing with our own "food issues" but I must say, my son is inspiring me to cook healthier meals and do something about my own weight problem.
I do think that it is unfair to place all the blame on working mothers for childhood obesity. My mother has worked full-time ever since I was a young child, but she always dedicated herself to making healthy foods for me every week. Also, families where both parents work are very common, and I'm not sure why mothers should get a bad rap for obese children. As some others have said, where is the father in this equation? It is up to BOTH parents to teach their young children how to eat right.
Also, looking back on my elementary school days (in the 1980s-90s), I remember we were fed junk food for lunch just about everyday. Think pizza, hamburgers, chalupas, chicken nuggets, etc. I can't remember seeing anything green on my lunch tray! I don't know if school menus have changed since then, but there are other factors out there that can contribute to obesity. So please, don't just blame the mothers!
So if the moms are to blame for not being home to take care of the kids, does that the dads are to blame for not earning enough money so mom can stay home?
Hey, what about DAD's role in preparing food for the kids? We should assume he has as much responsibility as Mom. When both parents are working, they BOTH have to fit in caring for their children. Dads have to expect to do their fair share. I don't see that expectation in this blog entry.
In our home, I think the Dad is more the culprit. We do both work, but other than that, Dad is a junk food king and also has become a video game enthusiast. My children happily follow. I feel like I'm walking against a hurricane force wind trying to influence my family toward health and wellness. As a matter of fact, I'm absolutely stunned the study gave no "weight" to very obvious alternate factors.
There is a problem, its true. But to say it is "moms" fault or that women are to blame is unfair and sadly outdated. The clear need for a double income household in today's economy is the reason for children's lack of exercise and poor diet. It requires substantial material sacrifices for the modern American family to schedule their budget and lifestyles so that one parent (or extended family even, if one is so lucky) is home to prepare healthy meals for the entire family as well as facilitate activities for the children the moment they return from school. Unfortunately, no matter how hard some parents try, it is close to impossible to live on only one income.
Thanks CNN for waiting ALMOST an entire week after Mother’s day to start blaming mothers for yet another of society’s ills SHEESH! I am a fourth-generation working mother so the assumption that this all started because women entered the work force in the 80’s is totally false and a dangerous misuse of “statistics.” Aside from the occasional chubby episode in puberty my family has had a long history of being fit. Just because a mother works doesn’t mean that she is causing her children to become obese in fact in my son’s after-school daycare there are fewer obese children than in his school overall. Why? because unlike the kids who go home and may sit in front of the TV all afternoon with easy access to the fridge the children who attend daycare are out on the playground running around all afternoon. Mothers, stop feeling guilty and take action! Buy a twenty dollar crock-pot, find some easy, healthy make-ahead recipes online and institute a three night a week walk with your kids and the next time someone wags their finger at you just tell them to stick that finger…
Why is it always the mother's fault? I suppose we (women) were the only ones that decided to make a baby...you know because conception of children is always immaculate. Seriously, this correlational stuff is blasphemy and insulting. Women could restore world peace and feed all of the hungry and still be blamed for something (perhaps she didn't wear the correct seasonal colors or the bread was stale). Give me a break! I can't wait to have children and be at fault for every single one of their problems. Yippy!
Oh, for crying out loud.
Did it ever occur to all you "experts" that most moms don't have a choice about working or not? If our government and all you "experts" put your money where your mouths were, you could find a way to help moms stay home with their kids. But no. It's so much easier to point at a group of people who have no choice in the matter than to actually find a solution. I do the best I can for my kids, and that's going to have to be good enough for all the experts out there. Most of which have ruined entire generation of children with their "child rearing" advice. Thanks for nothing. So where's the question: are Dads making their kids fat? Or are Moms the only ones qualified to cook for their families? You want to keep kids healthy? Give them safe places to play. Give their parents more time off of work to spend with their families. Give kids boundaries instead of telling parents they can't say "NO" to their children. How about a blog about solutions? Or is that just too hard to handle? Better yet, take the time you just spent blogging and go spend it with your kids. I am.
I am a working mother. And it takes me less time and less money to prepare a salad (bagged, pre-cleaned) and some microwave flavored chicken breasts than it does to go through the drive-thru. We're all healthier for it. My husband and I are committed to preparing meals at home rather than fall into the fast-food trap.
I am fairly new to motherhood. My son is 14 months old and I have been back to work since he was 10 wks old. I get up everyday at 5 am to get ready for work, get my son ready (all of course while my husband is sleeping in before he gets ready for work) and leave for work by 630am. I work 40 plus hours a week and still manage to pick my son up from daycare, play with him for an hour, cook a healthy diner for him and my husband, bath my son, play for another 30 minutes and put him to bed. Then I take care of laundry and other household chores that can't be done while he is awake. This is the same routine everyday.
I wouldn't say that chubbie kids are Moms fault. I would say that chubbie kids are Lazy Moms fault. I am exhausted by the time I get to bed at night. But I get up and do it again the next day to keep my son and family healthy.
Fast-food restaurants and other restaurants could serve healthy foods and portion sizes, but they choose not to.
Restaurants do serve healthy foods and portion sizes -- most people just choose not to order them. You don't have to buy a huge burger, large fries, and a giant soft drink with unlimited refills just because they're on the menu. Get a small burger with a side salad and a diet soda, a grilled chicken sandwich with small fries, or a baked potato with chili and one of the healthy sides like fruit that most restaurants offer now. At dine-in restaurants, order soup and salad, or pack up half your meal for the next day's lunch. Don't blame your bad eating habits on restaurants. You always have a choice about what you order.
Use of high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils exploded in the 70's and 80's -- that is why obesity is growing. Working women have nothing to do with it. Do these "experts" know the difference between a causal relationship and a coincidence?
I have never seen a study showing that the children of stay at home mothers are less likely to be obese than the children of working mothers, because it does not exist. If there ever was a study showing that, trust me, it would be all over the media!!
I am the father of two active healthy boys, 7 and 10. While they are not overweight now, I have noticed a little extra weight showing up on my oldest son. I am overweight and have been much of my life and for me it started when I was about 8. So after growing up chubby I am bound and determined not to let it happen to my boys. That said they are in competitive sports in winter and summer that require practices 3-4 times a week. They play outside all the time and I limit TV and video game time. I am continuously monitoring and limiting what they eat and always suggest fruit or healthy snacks when they are hungry between meals. My point is this, it seems like even with all this they may still become overweight. I’m also wondering if because I am always harping on them about eating too much that it may be making them obsess about food. I’m confused
Do the men of the world really hate working women so much , that they blame fat kids on them also. McDonalds appalling food which is full of additives, no excercise at school, lack of freedom due to the percieved threat of abduction, and television programming for kids 24/7.
That is why todays kids are fat. Working women tend to be slimmmer than stay at home Moms, so the same is most likely true of their kids.
When a problem is initially discovered, people, in general, attempt to blame it on one thing and this time, it's women are the cause of childhood obesity in the United States. Why blame women? It's simple. Unfortunately, the reasoning for childhood obesity is more complex.
Childhood obesity is on the increase because of lifestyle and the converging dynamic forces that act and/or reactant to it. To say that women have no share in the health and welfare would neglect the role of mother. However, fathers, family members, and society all have a stake in the health of a child, from breakfast to family dinners to family reunions to school lunches. Each and every one of us plays a part in the health and welfare of each other. With this being said, where does the responsibility lie? It lies on us all, and why is so easy for some to blame women, it because it's easy to blame something in order to escape one's own responsibility. Big Business poisons us with processed foods and over medicated meat. Fast food bombards us with supposed convenience when portions are grossly out of control and the contents are high in calories and fat. Back to mothers, There is no doubt that an at-home mother might have more success controlling a child diet, but make no mistake, there is no substitution for an interested parent. Parents and society have a responsibility to promote well being amongst children and themselves. If you want a healthy society, parents have got to be interested in being healthy and providing healthy options to their children. Businesses need to be guided to take appropriate measures to clean up their food. Government needs to provide initiative that will help parents raise healthy children etc etc. To fight the bulge, a significant investment must come from us all. It would be my dream to see people eat things they grow. Eat closer and local - there's something sagacious about that.
What's wrong when you read the second paragraph? How about the fact that THERE WAS NO ONE HOME TO MAKE BALANCED MEALS....OR MAKE SURE THE KIDS GOT OUT AND EXERCISED!!! Are you kidding me? The U.S. is suppose to be so advanced, so far ahead when it comes to equality...etc...and yet the general public still views anything to do with the children as mainly the wife's job. This is a ridiculous. I know some mothers are single but someone has to be watching their children while they are gone to work. It's the babysitter's responsibility, the father if he stays home, and the mothers. My mother worked and I am not overweight. I think it comes down more to children being overweight because of either the food they serve in cafeterias, their PARENTS (TWO INDIVIDUALS) not setting the right example of eating by either being a glutton, filling their cabinets with unnutritional foods, or not engaging in exercise when they are home. My mother in law watches our son and she knows better than to give him sweets all the time. I told her right in the beginning that he needs to eat vegetabels or I would find someone else to watch him.
The fact that a woman works outside the home has no impact on her child's weight. I was a "latch-key" kid in the 80s and was actually underweight. Children today did not invent poor eating habits and sedentary living. Don't blame mothers. If this is a factor, it's one of many and not one with a solution that requires women to again don their aprons to watch a roast cook. Many, many families NEED 2 incomes just to make ends meet. Let's take a look at schools so strapped for cash that they cut phys ed budgets and staffs while simultaneously improving their bottom lines with big-money fast-food and softdrink contracts...If a kid is eating a burger, fries, ice cream and a chocolate bar at lunch and does not receive any sort of physical education, what Mom brings to the table for dinner becomes a moot point.
As a working mom I guess I am one of the lucky parents both of my children drink water and eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. My 6 year old cheers 3 days a week and and my 16 year old plays a lot of football. We often play outside even though I have laundry or other chores to do. My husband and I "share" house chores so that one of us can be outside. I might not have one of the cleanest houses but I make the decision of healthy kids or a dirty house. Guess which one wins? At the grocery store they make it so easy now they even cut the fruits and veggies for us. How can we not buy them?
I also limit junk food and they are no allowed to eat anything after 7:00 p.m. It's as easy as putting down the fork, turning off the t.v. and going outside. Whatever happened to personal responsiblity? Stop blaming others. Our children are only young once. We must teach them good eating habits.
It seems to me, as the focus of one habit is tossed aside (smoking) and another takes its place in societies minds (obesity), there is problem.
The more pressing problem I think is more about socially acceptable bullying. It seems that it is ok to shame and blame whole sections of society in order to affect change. So is there now a war on obesity? So what does that mean for a nation. War on Drugs, War on Smoking, War on whatever we find to be socially unacceptable. Well with war comes many many undesirable consiquences. Victims, stress, violence. Yes there is change... and at what cost? We will hear of reports of children dying because they have been put on diets, given dangerous medication so they can be trim, emotionally battered by their peers, media, doctors, and skinny aunt betty who pinches their cheeks telling them what a tub of lard they are. I think we are all well aware of the social issues involved with weight problems. This article is not a "new" discovery, it is not an ahha moment, so what is the purpose of it exactly? Instead of shaming people and pretending to find the "cause" of what is happening, focus on making the changes. Instead, flood the media with more information on how to make the changes that are needed.
What about working dads? It's not just Mom's responsibility to make sure the kids are healthy. If both parents are at work and the kids are getting fatter, both parents need to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the well-being of their children.
If you must have children, ensure that you can properly raise them. What business do you have brithing three children when you cannot afford to raise them properly. Condoms and the pill are quite effective, you should have stopped at one. Then, maybe, you could actually send time with the children you claim to love.
Greedy parents who want the kids and the lifestyle make me upset. Especially because the lowest-income families vote Republican, which is part of the reason why wages are low. You made that bed, lay down in it.
Of course, women/mothers are always to blame. Not the fathers, not the by and large male-run food corporations, not the video game industry, and not the (largely male) criminals from whom we need to protect our children and who keep them from running and playing freely outdoors in our neighborhoods and countryside. No, must be working mothers. There's no other explanation.
As a parent employed full-time outside the home it can be difficult, but not impossible to prepare healthy meals. I shop and prepare possibilities for my week which takes an extra hour after I get back from the store, but then I have ziploc bags of veggies and fruits for lunches and snack that my child can get out herself. It also keeps me packing my lunch for work, because the cafeteria isn't always the healthiest place.
Parents- you can do it! Don't be discouraged!
Hey Dads hello? can we give Dads equal time and balme them for some stuff? If working Mom has a working partner, then he/she needs to be a team player on this. My husband and I both work, have two healthy girls ages 7 and 5 who eat healthy because we do. We NEVER get fast food - my lord don't parents care enough about their kids to stop doing this already? Would you give them a cigarette as well to celebrate their 16th birthday? Eating healthy Is fast, IS easy. Pasta with broccoli - boil water, throw in pasta, cut up brocolli and toss in with pasta last five minutes. Cook three days of chicken on Sunday and serve all week; or turkey meatloaf - I make 2 every eekend and they love it. Have breakfast for dinner one night - everyone helps with the (multigrain) pancakes or scrambling the eggs. My hubby picks up the kids and gives them a plate load of cut up veggies and fruit before dinner. Take out for us is steamed chicken with broccoli from the Chinese place. It is not hard, people are just lazy. Blame the schools all you want, but what kids eat at home conditions them to what they eat outside the home. My daughters make pretty darned good choices for Big and strong foods versus not big and strong foods every day. Get all the crap out of your cabinets and out of your own diet. It is not hard. It just takes planning and responsibility.
It's fascinating that men, once again, are not assigned any responsibility in their children's well being. Apparently they can't cook when get home, help grocery shop or feed their children because....oh, wait, there is no reason why.
Blaming working mothers for society's ills is a tired game. Fathers are just as capable of watching what their children eat and helping them find healthy choices.
I also think that one of the biggest factors is technology. Kids stay in and watch tv, play video games, and hang out on the computer all day. Even on the nicest days, a lot of kids would rather play xbox than go outside and play basketball or something.
I agree that the fear of being outside definitely reduces the chances of kids playing freely in communities. We're too afraid of abduction and with good reason. Growing up, my friends and I ate cheeseburgers and milkshakes like they were air but because our metabolisms were so fast, all the fat and calories would burn off while the protein and vitamins could still do their jobs. Personally, i think children should be eating foods with carbohydrates and protein, especially because they have the metabolisms to burn it off, but if the option for fun excercise isnt there, nothing will be burned off.
My children started gaining weight after my husband went back to work.
-Working mom, looking for a house cleaner
Lets blame working moms! It's so easy that way. Why stop at obesity, lets blame them for global warming, famine, war...everything can be wound down to the fault of working moms.
The economy makes most of us work. I don't think most women would work outside the home if given a choice. It's a vicious circle. To put my kids in a good school, I have to live in an expensive community, which means I have to work. There are times I have to rely on convenience foods, which aren't the best, but then I have time to help with homework, do some fun things in the evening spend time with my family instead of cooking and then cleaning up after. I work FOR my children, and that is truly the only reason I do it. Start looking at the big picture instead of finding an easy scapegoat.
While I am a working mom who doesn't pick up fast food, I have to agree that I can be part of the problem. Mainly is that I do not feel it is safe for my 9 and 6 year old to play outside while I'm getting in a short workout on the treadmill myself (life long battle with weight), cleaning or making meals after work. My children are skinny in fact (mainly because they are finicky eaters) but they do not get to go outside as much and play with a working mom. Luckily our school is a big advocate for healthy eating and do not allow snacks and even birthday parties to serve unhealthy foods.
I still advocate and control what my kids eat so they at least will be better off than when I was growing up with a mom who worked nights who wasn't available.
I am a working mother of two, and neither of my children are overweight, nor do I think they will end up that way. We eat balanced meals every night (my husband and I share cooking duties!), We pack them healthy lunches every day, and they get plenty of fresh air and exercise both at school and at home, not to mention extra-curricular soccer, swimming and gymnastics. I'm so tired of the problems of children today being blamed on working mothers. Sure, if I had a choice I would be a stay at home mom, but unfortunately with mortgages, cars, the general cost of living, PLUS saving for college there is not that luxury! And don't dare anyone say it's a choice..it's just not! We definately do not live in the lap of luxury.
And you know what, working parents can regulate TV watching and video games just as easily as stay at home parents can. My kids get 1/2 hour a day....pretty short if you ask me! I was the product of a working mother and father and I turned out pretty great, not too mention very healthy and a perfect weight! Stop making working moms feel guilty! We are just as capable of raising great healthy families as the rest of the population!
Because mothers are working means that fathers can't cook dinner? Or pick up a healthy alternative to fast food? Or supervise outdoor play? Or encourage more activity? Why automatically point the finger at the mothers? Have fathers been so completely lacking involvement in families that their roles in children's lives don't matter? I think such conclusions really belittle the roles fathers play in children's upbringing.
In my family, both of my parents worked full time, and my parents were able to "tag team" to ensure the kids had wholesome meals and plenty of exercise. Exercise usually involved going to the park with our dogs or hiking. At least one parent was involved-- mom or dad.
To the poster who is blaming the restaurants - it is not their fault. It is a choice to eat at a restaurant just as it is a choice to cook meals at home. Everyone is busy and tired at the end of the day, but if your and your kids' health is a priority, you will control what your family eats by cooking at home.
Blaming women in the workforce for overweight kids - how about we also go back to blaming legal abortions in the US for 9-11? Was this "study" funded by Pat Robertson or Focus on the Family? Either one of their right-wing nonsense would go hand in hand with blaming women's equality for overweight kids. The above comment said it best - correlation does not equal causality. Saying that working moms caused overweight kids because both happen at the same time is like saying that spikes in snowshovel sales cause high heating bills because both happen in winter. Rather, let's stop pointing fingers at the conservatives' preferred target (modern career women) and start talking about nutrition, participation in sports, and having both parents involved in their children's upbringing, rather than simply saying that if mom doesn't do it, then it just won't be done.
Women entered the workforce to help our country at a time of war. When the war ended, many of these women stayed in the workforce. They worked so their families could have a better life. Today most working moms are doing at lease 80% of the work at home in addition to having jobs outside of the home. If you want to place blame on someone, blame the dads who have become lazy and do not carry their weight in the family. Blame the dads who come home from work and ask their working wives what's for dinner. Blame the dads who hang out with their pals on the weekend while their working wives are cleaning the house and doing the laundry.
Why doesn't this blog say blame the dads. Are dads not 50% responsible for the family.
I think there are a number of factors leading to the increase in childhood obesity and as much as I hate to admit, I believe working mothers do contribute. I'm working mother so I put myself in that category as well. It's difficult working 40+ hours a week, fighting traffic to pick up your children before 6 p.m. and then gathering the energy to cook a full meal before 7 or 7:30 when it's time to start baths. Is this an excuse? Yes. But it is also a reality. I, however, have the very good fortune of having my son in a pre-school that not only teaches him about letters, numbers, but is also teaching him about nutrition and what foods are good. He's also learning that exercise (not just playing) is a part of everyday life. I'll be honest. If I did stay home w/him all day. I can't say he would get that type of information. Posted By  : 1 |
