To think there is too much emphasis on healthy eating these days?

[Dancergirl]

In particular in schools? It seems that every school has a 'healthy eating' policy these days and it's drummed home what's healthy and not healthy etc. Now I know childhood obesity is on the rise but really...I don't see many overweight children around, let alone obese ones.

I think the real risk is the rise in childhood eating disorders such as anorexia and a psychologist friend of mine told me sufferers are getting younger and younger. Of course it's down to many factors, the whole celebrity culture and desire to be thin being one.

But I don't want my children getting obsessed over healthy eating and a lot of time seems to be spent at school encouraging this. At home I try and give them a good balanced diet but chocolate/biscuits/cake etc aren't banned either.

There is nothing at all wrong with giving a health eating message out. What is wrong is telling children that they can't eat certain food as that isn't what healthy eating is about.

I see lots of obese children around and schools is the one place where the message can be drummed into children in the hope of tackling the problem.

I disagree

Over eating is also an eating disorder

If you don't see many overweight children around, it's quite possible you've lost sight of the fact you should be able to see a child's rib cage and hip bones.

If you're giving your kids a balanced diet then you're right, there is no problem allowing them chocolate/biscuits/cake etc as part of that balanced diet.

But there are far more overweight and obese children than anorexic children and this is rising at an alarming rate.

Hmm...I definitely object to images of the Cookie monster eating apples (am pretty sure that apples are, in fact, extremely bad for Cookie monsters and likely to cause them medical problems) but I quite like my daughter growing up with a good awareness of what's healthy and what is not.

She's not scared of unhealthy foods at all - loves sweets and stuff - but, if she asks, we tell her that they are yummy and certainly nice to have once in a while but not too many.

I think it's useful to have that awareness from quite young but I do hate when it gets a bit rammed down your throat. I am for "everything in moderation" messages rather than "good" and "bad" when it comes to food.

I think sadly there are still many children who are not given the opportunities to eat well. If education can play a part in teaching what is good for you and what is bad for you then I don't think there can be 'too much teaching'. Of course everything in moderation is great but some parents seem confused...like the woman I saw once on GMTV who said that she weaned her babies on takeaway curry and fish &chips to offer them a variety of tastes and textures...

And just because children don't look obese, it doesn't mean they are not nutrient deficient. The impact on behaviour and potential can not be underestimated.

I see lots of overweight children. You just get so used to them these days they kinda disappear.

Healthy eating in the true sense does not lead to anorexia. Healthy eating is about teaching children how to fuel their body properly and st includes how eating too little or eating the wrong things makes you ill too.

I'm all for it and I think you are throwing the blame in the wrong direction.

I don't think the message about healthy eating coud ever be too loud, it's something that is so important to long term health.

But I do think schools should go about it differently. Some of the rules they have about packed lunches and snacks are ridiculous. Apparently it is better for a child to have nothing at break time if they won't eat fruit than it is to have a musli bar. How does that make any sense at all to the idiots that make up these rules?

It should be about encouraging children to make healthy choices, which they simply cannot learn to do if they are never given a choice and can be trusted with nothing but fruit. It should also be about healthy eating patterns, like not missing out on a mid morning snack! There is more to healthy eating than just 5 a day.

I agree KitchenRoll

I'd like to see a lot more consistency in how schools approach these things.

I also think parents (if they don't already know) should be taught about portion size and how much a child really needs to eat in one sitting.

Obviously children and appetites are different, but on the whole I think a lot of people over feed their kids from an early age without realising it.

If you don't see many overweight children around, it's quite possible you've lost sight of the fact you should be able to see a child's rib cage and hip bones.

Worraliberty - I'm not sure what you mean by this comment....?

I think she meant exactly what I said - there are so many overweight children you become desensitised to them and it becomes the norm.
Very clear to me?

But when schools have a blanket ban on chocolate bats in packed lunches and send a letter home to a parent saying her child wasn't allowed to eat her breaktime cereal bar because it 'had chocolate chips in'. (not personal experience but happened to a friend) And nurseries won't allow the odd (not talking every day, just once in a while) bowl of frosties or sugar puffs for breakfast then surely things are going too far!

I had an ex-boyfriend when I was at uni who only ever ate salads, pulses, lean meat and health food and took 6 different vitamin/oil tablets everyday and was ill so often and also often tired cos his diet was 'healthy' but not balanced!
(he used to drive me round the bend with it, but he was the best looking guy in uni so..,.. AHEM!)

So if you can't see their rib cage and hip bones, they're overweight..?

I'm not sure how I could have typed it any clearer OP

I mean exactly that

There are so many overweight children around now compared to years ago, that it's kind of normalised and some people don't realise children should not be carrying excess fat around their tummies/ribs/hips.

The problem is though how do you police occasional? Some parents will "well x had chocolate/frosties etc today so I will send them in" so in that sense one rule across the board is right. However, I do think some places have odd ideas about what constitutes healthy.

If you don't see many overweight children around, it's quite possible you've lost sight of the fact you should be able to see a child's rib cage and hip bones.

Wash yore mouth out - rolls of fat is natcherel, innit!

No, carrying a tiny bit of fat around their rib cage and hips doesn't automatically mean they're overweight...especially when you consider puberty.

But nowadays, a lot of people view children as 'skinny' because they see overweight as 'normal'

Perhaps that's a better way of putting it?

Should have been 'chocolate bars!

Mind you I am annoyed at the high school where I work as their current menu has chips twice a week which is silly!

Pro it wasn't healthy at all then!

My viewpoint is there is so much misinformation out there about what actually is healthy eating...and not all the official advice is good either! ...

Yes you should see children's ribs and hips, not sharply although some children do show them quite sharply, Healthy body fat for children is about 15 to 20 percent I think.

The common sense guide to eating healthily - eat all colours of the rainbow and no I don't mean smarties, and stick to a 80 percent healthy 20 percent treat split.

Can't go far wrong with that.

completely disagree with you Worraliberty and I think its views like this that can only encourage eating disorders of any kind .

I don't see many overweight small children but my god there are some huge teenagers about. And middle aged women who seem to think being a size 22 is normal. I work with people who think nothing of having a packet of crisps, dairylea Dunkers and a twix for their dinner. Or sitting with an enormous box of sausage rolls on their desk.

I'm a size 12 and 5ft 2 ins so not exactly twiggy but at least I managed to run four miles twice a week and not eat too much rubbish ( looks guiltily at half eaten choc orange)

Kids aren't overweight either.

Sorry Worrall just read your last post .

I think pushing healthy eating is imperative and has come far too late in this country. When I was growing up (10-15 years ago) I wasn't allowed crisps, chocolate, squash, biscuits except on special occasions. My mum made us eat salad and broccoli nearly everyday with our dinner. I resented her for it. Not so much anymore, now I'm the slimmest of all my friends, with no health problems. I can't thank her enough.

I have a child who's very clued up on healthy eating, but is an over-eater, given a chance (which he no longer gets) . Its a battle and I am utterly thankful that the 'state' is also drumming home healthy eating, I just wish that there was a less 'sport' emphasis on PE, as my son is not competitive at all, other children do specific sports out of school, and I think that exercise should over-ride sports in a whole school setting... movement is definitely the key with my eldest. He loves dance. The school do football or cricket, both of which my son detests.

Unfortunately, although I know his school dinners are balanced and contain a certain amount of calories etc., there is NO NEED to always have a pudding!

Even overweight children can be healthy, my son isn't unhealthy. My other son eats the same but you can see his rib cage and as he's four still has the chubby cheeks. My eldest son is simply inclined to carry weight and I don't think that the current programme takes into account that children and adults are different shapes and sizes.

There is LESS of an overweight problem in his school than there is a pressure to be thin, the girls particularly think unless you are thin-thin then you're fat which has already driven a few of the chunkier (not 'fat') girls into anxiety and made them refuse food. That is very very sad I think and an indication that the current emphasis misses some crucial points.

Ok I see your point worraliberty but it's just that sort of comment that worries me immensely. Yes some children who have fat around their middle may be overweight but equally it may just be their body shape. My middle dd is a prime example. My other two dds are much leaner in shape - she has more meat on her. But she was that shape as a baby, it's just her natural shape. She's not overweight and she eats a reasonably balanced diet. I would be horrified if she thought she was overweight because she wasn't as skinny as the next girl.

I think a bigger problem that perhaps schools should tackle more is lack of exercise. Years ago children walked to school, now they're ferried around everywhere by car. In the 50s we ate a much stodgier diet than we do now but children burnt it off.

It seems a shame to be teaching youngsters healthy eating when many go home to takeaways/crisps/frozen cheap shite for thier tea. They may well go home explaining the virtues of healthy eating to their uneducated, lazy or cashless parents but it's doubtful thier 'home menu' will change for the better.