Parental ignorance blamed for child obesity

Added on 22/07/10

Author: Alex Wilkinson - Reporter

Parents who believe that ‘fat means cute’ are being blamed for child obesity in Indonesia. Could it be that this is true in other countries as well?

Indonesian health experts say that a large part of the countries' child obesity problem is the modern eating habits that many children have now adopted. “Nowadays children eat junk food, cakes and other high sugar foods and beverages,” one expert told a reporter for the Jakarta Post (one of Indonesias’ major newspapers).

Topping this and quite worryingly, parents perceieve chubby to be adorable. The reality however, is that beyond their endearing appearance, these children are of an unhealthy size. Paediatrician Aman B. Pulungan said: “Most parents here think that fat means cute. They don’t see [obesity] as problem.”

Obesity truly is a problem in Indonesia. According to latest official statistics, obesity has spiked nearly two-fold among Indonesian children over the last three decades.

Parents may believe that their children will grow out of obesity. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Recent evidence has shown that when a child is overweight, it can increase their likelihood of running into weight-related problems as an adult. They may also have suffer with more serious issues such as diabetes before they even reach adulthood. “I see patients dealing with obesity on an almost daily basis,” Aman says. “Now you can find children as young as 10 with diabetes.”

Tackling child obesity in Indonesia, as in other countries, will involve a greater level of government involvement and support for weight loss, experts believe.

If you are worried about your child’s weight, speak to a doctor. Exercise and a balanced diet is key.