Are parents to blame for childhood obesity?

[hnewpz]

I found this interesting article on how parents are blind to their children's obesity problems: www.hubub.com/113898/211008

Do you agree? Do you think that parents are overlooking their children's obesity problems?

I think it is more useful to look for solutions to multiple factors which cause obesity in people of all ages, rather than to attribute blame in a simplistic or judgmental way.

Mostly, though I think cultural/societal factors such as the fast food and advertising industries also play a role.

Anecdotal of course, but I have heard many people expressing the view that you are somehow being a killjoy or denying your children something important to their happiness if you don't allow for regular sweets and sugary puddings. Equating food with love, or food with 'the magic of childhood' seems to be the biggest food-related parenting problem I have witnessed.