Going to Waist?

Childhood obesity is on the rise. Here's how to help your child win the battle of the bulge.

by Kara Davis, M.D.

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As a physician, I've spent years treating overweight adults, conducting seminars, and teaching Bible studies on the connection between our physical and spiritual lives. So imagine my surprise when I discovered our ten-year-old daughter getting a little "thick around the middle"!

Our pediatrician confirmed my suspicions: My daughter's body mass index (BMI) was at the 95th percentile on the growth chart—meaning that out of a random group of 100 ten-year-old girls, only 5 would be heavier than she.

As parents of an overweight child, my husband and I weren't alone. More than 15 percent of children in the U.S. are overweight, and approximately 11 percent of adolescents are obese, with even higher numbers found in specific racial groups, such as African Americans. As a result, certain weight-related health problems are being diagnosed at a younger age. By the time these children become adults, many already have experienced type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and arthritis. And in a society that exalts thinness, overweight kids contend with ridicule and negative stereotyping from their peers and even from adults. That sting of rejection can endure for years.

We can't ask our kids to snack on fruit and yogurt while we eat chips and dip. We can't expect them to be more active if we take the elevator up a single flight of stairs.

I certainly didn't want our daughter to sense disapproval from my husband and me. But we knew we had to take the "bull by the horn." So we told her we planned to modify our habits. By approaching the problem with love, patience, wisdom, and prayer, we were able to help our daughter gain control of her weight.

If you're faced with this all-too-common problem, here are four practical ways to motivate your child to win the battle of the bulge.

Focus on health.

If the motive for losing weight is to "look good," you'll find little scriptural support. According to Genesis 1:27, God created us in his image—with no qualifiers regarding physical appearance or body weight. We reflect the image of God irrespective of our clothing size or scale number. Vanity is no virtue, but exercising regularly and adhering to a nutritionally sound diet require discipline and self-control—character traits strongly emphasized in God's Word. I kept our efforts with our daughter in the context of preserving her health, not enhancing her appearance.

I started teaching my daughter about the connection between nutrition-related diseases such type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis and our diet. But you don't need to be an M.D. or a registered dietician to generate this kind of dialogue. There's plenty of information on diet and nutrition in magazines and newspapers or on the Internet.

Choosing food wisely is only half the equation; practicing moderation is the other half. Too much of even the most nutritionally sound food is not a good thing. I have a friend whose daughter spends part of her summer vacation with her father on the West Coast. This year, she returned home ten pounds heavier than when she left. My friend tackled the problem primarily through portion control. She switched from dinner plates to salad plates and began putting the food away immediately after serving the meal as an "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" approach to curtailing second helpings. So far, she's had good success with few complaints.

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Originally published in: Christian Parenting Today, Page 28

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