Being Overweight and
Obese: A Concern for the
Whole Family
Easy Read
Volume # 19 · Issue # 2 · March/April 2009
Translated into plain language by Helen Osborne of Health Literacy Consulting
Original article by Bill Dupes
Many children and adults are overweight or
obese
More and more children and adults are
overweight or obese. This is a problem in the
United States as well as other countries. The
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report in May
2008, stating that 32 percent of U.S. children are overweight. Of this number, 16
percent are obese and 11 percent are morbidly (extremely) obese.
Here are some facts from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS):
•
About 32 percent of adult Americans are overweight.
•
More than 34 percent of adult Americans are obese. This is over 72 million
people.
•
Just under 6 percent of overweight adult Americans are morbidly obese.
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People who are overweight or obese are at greater risk for health problems such as
heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and some cancers. They are also more likely than
others to have pain in the head, neck, shoulder, back, abdomen, pelvis, legs or feet.
BMI (body mass index) is a way to know whether someone is overweight or
obese.
BMI is figured using a person’s height and weight.
• A person with a BMI of 25 to 29 is overweight.
• A person with a BMI of 30 to 40 is obese.
• A person with a BMI of 40 or more is morbidly obese.
Here is an example: Jane is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. Using the
BMI, she is overweight. Jane is obese if she weighs 180 pounds or more. You can
find a BMI calculator online at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.
Reasons people may be overweight or obese
People may be overweight or obese because of their family history (genetics),
lifestyle, or both. A recent study shows that teenagers tend to weigh more if they
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skip (do not eat) a lot of meals or spend 3 or more hours a day watching TV or
playing video games. (From “Exploring Genetics and Social Structure,” American
Journal of Sociology, Volume 114, Number S1.)
Molly A. Martin, PhD, is assistant professor of sociology and demography at
Pennsylvania State University and the author of this study. She says, “My study
finds that weight runs in families, but it’s not just because of genetics. What we do
together, how we spend our time together, what we eat and how we organize
ourselves as family matters.”
Martin studied more than 2,500 pairs of twins, siblings and half-siblings. She
looked at many factors that can affect a teen’s weight. These include whether the
parents are obese as well as income, education level, birth weight and level of
activity. Martin found that whether the teen’s family skips meals and how many
hours they watch TV or play video games are two important factors. “Not skipping
meals seems to be the biggest factor that can help with regard to the weight of
kids,” she says.
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Martin explains there are many reasons why children may skip meals. One is that
the family does not have enough money for three healthy meals each day. Another
is that the family may be so busy that they do not have enough time to eat. And
some teens skip meals, hoping this will help them lose weight (it seldom does). No
matter the reason, Martin says that when people skip meals they are likely to get
even more hungry and overeat.
Andrea Vazzana is clinical coordinator of the pediatric weight management
program at the New York University Child Study Center in New York City. “I
think the importance of family meals is something that should be underscored,”
says Vazzana. “Kids that sit down with their family tend to have a more normal
weight. Parents can provide structure for the meal, and the meal tends to be more
well-balanced. Parents can also set limits around food,” she explains.
Vazzana adds that parents can also teach good eating habits, such as by showing
their children that it is not a good idea to start with two desserts and then skip
vegetables. Vazzana also found that that people tend to eat while watching TV.
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They may see lots of food ads or shows about food. This can add to weight
problems.
Martin found that the number of hours a family spends watching TV or playing
video games may help predict if the teen will be overweight or obese. Teens who
spend 3 or more hours each day on these activities tend to weigh more than those
who do not.
Ways to help
“Families develop patterns together,” says Martin. These patterns can be good
ones. “Try to be active together. Go for a walk after dinner, play with the dog, play
Frisbee. Spend quality time together that’s also active time,” she says.
“Sometimes it’s really difficult to be healthy, and we may start adopting behaviors
that really don’t work well. But there are some things we can do consciously and
even small changes can make a long-term difference in weight,” says Martin.
Translated from Obesity is a Family Affair
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