Half of preschool girls worry about fat

[The Straight Story]

Half of preschool girls worry about fat


ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Nearly half of 3- to 6-year-old girls say they worry about being fat and one-third would change a physical attribute like hair color, U.S. researchers say.

University of Central Florida psychology Professor Stacey Tantleff-Dunn and doctoral student Sharon Hayes say 31 percent of the 121 girls surveyed indicated they almost always worry about being fat, while another 18 percent said they sometimes worry about about being fat.

However, unlike older girls and women who were affected by short-term exposure to thin, beautiful models on television and in the movies, the researchers found watching a movie starring a thin, beautiful princess did not appear to increase the preschool girls' anxieties about being fat.

Study leader Stacey Tantleff-Dunn says young girls who worry about their body image are more likely to suffer from eating disorders when they are older.

While the study found no short-term consequences of being exposed to a stereotypically thin and beautiful princess for young girls, the media's portrayal of beauty likely is one of the strongest influences on how young girls perceive their bodies because children spend so much time watching movies and television, Tantleff-Dunn said.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/11/30/Half-of-preschool-girls-worry-about-fat/UPI-55301259625763/

[crim son]

1. 3 - 6 year olds?

That's depressing. I am curious, however, what percentage of those girls would be termed medically obese, or if there even is such a category for girls that young. Three years old? I find that seriously amazing.

[Johonny]

2. I think it's more likely

The idea comes from their parents. Not that their parents are worried about the child being fat, but that mom or dad worries about their own weight and or dyes their own hair. That may explain why at that age the models have so little effect. Hard to know there isn't enough information in the blurb to explain all the considerations of the researchers.

[JackintheGreen]

4. Not just the parents, but family in general

My mother-in-law has the terrible habit of commenting on people's size ("she'd look so pretty if she'd lose a few pounds," and that sort of thing). My wife grew up with a terrible complex because of it (so I agree, it does come from the parents). But we actually had to state and enforce and strict absolutely no comments about size in our house when she's around. Thing is, she thinks she's being cute, or endearing, or even helpful. It drives us nuts when she does it out of the house, but at least she doesn't do it to her grandkids anymore.

[kiva]

3. I remember seeing an article several years ago that

claimed grade-school-aged children said they would rather be physically disabled than fat. Scary stuff.

[krabigirl]

5. This has to come from the parents...and it's very sad.

[Odin2005]

6. WTF? That's sad!

:(

[aikoaiko]

7. On the other hand, 24% of preschoolers are already overweight.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/03/11/overweight-preschoolers-raise-their-heart-disease.html

Overweight Preschoolers Raise Their Heart Disease Risk
Study found they showed early signs of cardiovascular trouble
Posted March 11, 2009

By Jennifer Thomas
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- In yet another sign that obesity poses health risks at any age, new research shows that overweight children as young as age 3 can begin to show signs of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

About 24 percent of U.S. children aged 2 to 5 are overweight, defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) in the 85th percentile or above for their height and age. That number rises to 33 percent among children aged 6 to 11, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Using data on 3,098 children aged 3 to 6 taking part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers analyzed levels of HDL, or "good," cholesterol and C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation that can warn of cardiovascular disease.

They found that children with high BMIs and large waist circumferences were more likely to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein and lower levels of HDL cholesterol than children of normal weight. Data on LDL, or "bad," cholesterol was not available.

Too many kids are focusing on their weight, but clearly some should be already. What worries me is that they aren't be taught how to make lifestyle changes to promote good health and only resort to quick fixes.

[renate]

8. I respectfully disagree that it ALL comes from the parents

I have never, in all my life, even commented on my own body in front of my daughter, and I would never, for anything in the whole wide world, comment on my daughter's. It's not that I restrain myself... it's just that "does this make me look fat" is not something I think is an interesting topic of conversation. And I know that a single comment about her weight--even if she weren't a lean, muscular little stringbean--could really affect her self-image, so I would never ever ever say anything.

Believe me, body image issues don't need to come from parents. Girls are exposed to plenty of that crap when they watch TV (including Nickelodeon, and especially Disney). I tell my daughter that she has a healthy strong body, and she's proud of how fit she is (she's naturally very physically active and very well coordinated, unlike her mom). When we talk about what food to buy and eat, we talk about whether it's healthy, not about whether it's fattening. I try really hard to discourage worries about being fat, but the media are fighting me every step of the way.