Child Obesity For Educators

Educators and Mentors. Much education is needed in order to increase weight sensitivity and education among our mentors. I have a lot to say here and I touch on education about eating disorders as well. 8.1 First, coaches can model how to respect and support a heavyset child by focusing on health and strength, not performance, appearance, or weight. Too many times I hear that a coach either blatantly picks on a heavy kid or makes a subtle criticism that is cloaked as being "helpful." According to my client-patients, over the years, here are some statements that have been said in the presence of a heavyset kid. "Some of you, like Kevin, will feel your body cannot handle gym class today." "Come on, Sarah, tuck your stomach in like Julie." "Are you really hungry for that?" "If you could just lose a few pounds, your times would improve." "We have to get this costume for the recital so that it hides Jennifer's love handles." "If only you looked as good as Cindy." Now in the context of things, some of these statements seem well intentioned. However, when a mentor instructs peers to focus on one person's body or shape, they are not only (inadvertently) modeling prejudice, but they are making that poor child's worst nightmare come true. Also, success at a task should never be mentioned in the same sentence as weight or appearance because it just isn't true. Strength, endurance, and health habits affect performance.

Helping a child learn about weight loss and the importance of exercise could make a substantial difference in a child's life, as highlighted by Alice's early experiences. However, if the child is in a classroom in which he or she is one of the heaviest, then that lecture will forever be remembered as one of the child's most embarrassing moments. Offering the child an opportunity to listen to this lecture while in the presence of other overweight children can significantly reduce the child's embarrassment and anxiety, making the lecture more productive for them. During the course of the lecture, children need to be educated about the impulse to overeat, as well as health habits. If a person understands how difficult it is to lose weight and how powerful the urge to overeat can be, the more supportive and compassionate they can be.

"How" to talk to an overweight child can be more difficult than contemplating "what" to say. Educating teachers about how to approach a child in a supportive manner without making them feel demeaned would be important to boosting their already low self-esteem. Expounding on the child's non–weight-related strength's (academics, friendliness) is essential as this topic is addressed with them. Notifying parents that the child's weight is of concern and outlining for them the different educational programs that the school can provide, can help parents begin to talk to their child in the privacy of their home.

Care needs to be taken when educating children about obesity, anorexia, and bulimia. I have treated cases of severe childhood anorexia that were prompted by discussions in health class about the perils of obesity. Children, especially those already prone to anxiety, can be scared into an illness. I have had children learn about bulimia in health class, only to go home to "see how it works." Children need to be taught more about physiology, not eating disorders. Along with nutrition, teaching children about calories and the energy needs of an active child are enormous. For example, an anorexic teenaged boy learned how to count calories and read nutrition labels in school, but was never told that his body needs about 4000 calories per day, given his rate of growth and the fact that he was an athlete. His parents didn't notice his weight loss because it was slow and gradual. They, too, saw him eating a lot, but didn't realize just how much more he needed. Reminding children that the diet industry is analogous to the cigarette industry can help them understand that the images they see in the media are all attempts to make you feel fat so that they can make a profit. Teaching them how the diet industry breeds irrational beliefs about food and weight so that someone can make money can help them understand that what they see and hear is not always in the best interest of health. Reminding children that media images are created with a camera and "edited" can help insulate themselves from the media's emphasis on thinness. Referring students to NEDA's Media Watchdog Program can help them share ideas about advertisements they recently saw or heard.

Inviting heavyset children to participate in an after-school gym club can provide children with an opportunity for more regular and intense exercise, which would be particularly helpful for a child whose parents aren't able to help them be more active. This type of activity can also reduce embarrassment and help the child receive support as they help strengthen the habit of exercise.