Parents are underestimating their children weight

According to a recent survey in America, parents of overweight children are not looking them that way. It is really worrying as the overweight children face the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and other ailments generally found in adults. And the overweight children are more likely to turn into obese adults.

"It suggests to me that parents of younger kids believe that their children will grow out of their obesity, or something will change at older ages," said Dr. Matthew M. Davis, a University of Michigan professor of pediatrics and internal medicine who led the study, released earlier this month. "When I see a child that is obese at these younger ages, I take that as a sign of ways nutrition can be improved, a child's activity level can be improved."

Among the parents whose children were either obese or extremely overweight of the age 6 to 11, 43 parents saying their children have the right weight, 37 percent accepting their kids are slightly overweight, 13 percent have no problem in accepting their children are “Very overweight” and some even saying “Slightly underweight”.

The survey found that parents of obese children from age 12 to 17 look more aware about their children weight problems. 56 percent of the parents have the opinion that their children are “slightly overweight”, 31 percent considering them “very overweight”, 11 have no hesitation in saying “very overweight” and others saying “slightly underweight”.

Michigan research is indicating that parents are underestimating their children weight. According to the standards used by the researchers, 17 percent of US children are already obese. Experts suggest that doctors need to help the children parents to understand the health risks of childhood obesity.