A new study has found that children with obesity need acceptance from the people closest to them and not diet tips. The health and wellbeing of children will always be a priority for parents, and they want to make sure that they have everything they need to live a healthy life. However, sometimes, whether it be due to a medical condition or unhealthy habits, children can become medically “obese” and then it is important to find resources that will help them. That is why studies into intervention and treatment are so important because they can guide mom in the right direction.
According to Medical Xpress, a new study has shown that children with obesity need acceptance from their family and friends more than they need diet tips. This was done by a study that was published in the journal, Environmental Research and Public Health, and it can be read in full here.
There have been countless studies done to see how the world can reduce the rates of childhood obesity, and a lot of them are aimed at cutting out junk food ads and encouraging more physical activity. However, these have been in place for a while now and there has not been a noticeable decrease in the rates of childhood obesity.
Researchers believe that they know why, and they state that most programs aim to lower a child’s body mass index (BMI), focus on healthy food and physical activity. However, when it comes to losing weight, it is often about much more than just paying attention to diet and exercise. While they stated that all of these factors are important, there also needs to be some acceptance from family and friends. They were able to look at about 1,200 children in the first through fourth grade and they looked closer at the lives of obese children.
Children were split into two groups; one received the treatment and one was a control group. The interventions that the test group received were focused on family lifestyle, family dynamics, and a peer group. When the study was done, the only children whose obesity had improved were those that received interventions in healthy eating, exercise, and acceptance from those around them. The children who only received treatment in healthy eating and exercise were not as successful in achieving a healthy body weight. This study shows that acceptance and support from family and friends are key in helping reduce the rate of childhood obesity.
Sources: Medical Xpress, IJERPH