ALBANY, N.Y. - Mom's dieting
habits can have a bad influence on the children. Some research indicates
youngsters learn attitudes about dieting through observation. For some
youngsters, that might mean an unhealthy fixation on body image, experts warn.
"It's like trying on Mom's high heels. They're trying on their diets, too,"
said Carolyn Costin, spokeswoman for the National Eating Disorder Association.
As obesity rates climb among children, health officials are warning parents
about the dangers of junk food and lack of exercise. Yet few speak about parents
who meticulously count every calorie that crosses their lips.
That type of obsession can be just as destructive and eventually teaches kids
to weigh their self-worth on the scale, said Christine Gerbstadt, spokeswoman
for the American Dietetic Association.
While fathers also play a crucial a role in shaping children's attitudes
about food, research has focused primarily on women and their daughters, since
females are more likely to diet and worry about body image.
One study published last year by researchers at Harvard Medical School found
that frequent dieting by mothers was associated with frequent dieting by their
adolescent daughters. The study also found that girls with mothers who had
weight concerns were more likely to develop anxieties about their own bodies.
A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that
5-year-old girls whose mothers dieted were twice as likely to be aware of
dieting and weight-loss strategies as girls whose mothers didn't diet.
"If their mothers diet, it's a marker of how important weight is in the
household," said Alison Field, lead author of the Harvard study and an assistant
professor of pediatrics.
Even small cues, such as making self-deprecating remarks about bulging thighs
or squealing in delight over a few lost pounds can send the message that
thinness is to be prized above all else, Field said.
"Parents, especially moms, need to understand kids watch and hear things at
an early age and are like little sponges," Costin said.
Walking the line between encouraging healthy habits and not making an issue
of weight can be tough, especially with parents already bearing the blame for
rising obesity rates among children.
The best strategy is to lead by example, Costin said: If a fad diet isn't
right for the child, what makes it right for the parent?
One Albany mom, Donna Choiniere, does just that. She threw dieting out the
window long ago and has made fitness a part of family life. The 52-year-old runs
marathons, and her 15-year-old daughter, Katelyn, is on the track team.
She tries not to keep heavy-duty junk food in the house, but does not make a
big deal about it, and is OK with things like pretzels and
popcorn.
