Fewer than one in four parents of overweight children remember a pediatrician ever telling them weight was a problem for their child, according to a study published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and reported by Fox News Latino.
 
Obesity in the United States is turning into an epidemic, with almost a third of children categorized as overweight and 17 percent as obese. Weight issues can translate into diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Now, a study suggests that parents and doctors aren’t noticing the problem and therefore can’t step in to help their kids develop healthier habits.
 
For the study, researchers at the University of North Carolina analyzed government health surveys that included almost 5,000 parents of overweight children and spanned from 1999 to 2008.
 
Researchers found that a little less than a quarter of parents ever recall their child’s doctor saying there was a problem. Among overweight preschoolers, only 12 percent of the parents reported ever hearing that weight was a problem. Among overweight teenagers, the percentage increased to 30 percent. And among parents of very obese children, the percentage rose to 58 percent.
 
“Many pediatricians don’t worry until children are very overweight or until they’re much older,” said lead author Eliana Perrin, MD, MPH, and a research fellow at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. “If we can notice a concerning trend early, we’re more likely to be able to do something about it.”
 
To help raise awareness of this issue, Perrin and her colleagues have developed a color-coded growth chart to help doctors explain to parents when a problem has started. With the chart, parents can also tell at a glance if their child is in an overweight zone and moving closer to or away from a healthier zone. Perrin noted the chart is especially useful for children who are between ages 3 and 8 and are growing rapidly.
 
Overall, Perrin stresses that the most important message is health, not fat. Parents should focus on helping their children understand what a healthier lifestyle means and set an example by eating balanced meals and exercising regularly.

For a color-coded body mass index chart, click here.

Overall, Perrin stresses that the most important message is health, not fat. Parents should focus on helping their children understand what a healthier lifestyle means and set an example by eating balanced meals and exercising regularly.

For a color-coded body mass index chart, click here.