Presented by Dr. Jennifer Fisher and Yasmeen Bruton
Jennifer Fisher, Ph.D., associate professor of public health and researcher at the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University studies the eating patterns of children in hopes it will help them make healthy choices early in life and avoid struggling with food issues later.
Researchers at Temple University are exploring the influence of parenting on childhood obesity. Scientists don't really know if permissive parenting makes kids fat, or if mean mommies have slimmer kids, but emerging research suggests that authoritative parents may be raising kids who have better eating Dr. Fisher says careful; don't confuse authoritative parenting with authoritarian parenting.
"It's not about completely giving in to every wish of the child, and it's not about setting up strict rules," she said. "It's really about finding a balance where parents are responsible for what looks like a healthy diet and the children are responsible for figuring out when they are full."
She wants to take what works in the lab and translate that into parenting strategies that work around the family dinner table.
"It starts with simple things like the size of plates and cups that they use when they feed their children to give them very concrete examples," Fisher said.
Childhood obesity and overweight are complex issues likely influenced by a host of socioeconomic and cultural factors--including parenting. Lessons from the Temple study will help create education programs for parents who may not be able to afford the healthiest food choices.
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