Community Chat: How to Combat Childhood Obesity

The issue of childhood obesity has once again made its way to the forefront of mainstream media. Huffington Post, , posted a column by David Katz, M.D., the Director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, concerning issues surrounding childhood obesity – who health professionals target to combat this disease, the long-term affects of this epidemic and more.

One target in the column was how children can dictate the types of food and eating habits of the family.

Referencing the influence of kids in the home Katz said, “I know something about the power the little devils exert on a family,” and provided a detailed description of how kids can control the eating patters of the house.

“When kids have no interest in eating well, but instead want 'the one with Sponge Bob on it' it becomes virtually impossible for parents to make their home a safe nutritional environment. Conversely, when children are motivated to defend a health related issue, they become powerful agents of positive change. Kids were the major drivers of seat belt use, and fire safety nation-wide. They played a key role in reducing tobacco use as well. My own interest in nutrition as a child converted my whole family. For good, or for bad, kids are powerful change agents,” he wrote.

This week’s Community Chat question: How can the parents take control of the eating parents of their kids and combat childhood obesity?