Yet another study found that parents of overweight teens don't identify the kids as being overweight, and the kids don't see a problem either. There's been a whole slew of these "parents don't know kids are fat" things lately. When both groups were asked if they thought the adolescents, who all have type 2 diabetes, were "very overweight, slightly overweight, about right, slightly thin, or very thin?" only 41 percent of the parents and 35 percent of the kids reported 'very overweight', even though 87 percent were considered overweight by accepted standards. The researchers say this is a problem because recognition of a weight problem is the first step in making lifestyle and diet changes. But, well, I gotta cry "bullshit" on this one.
Frankly, I do still have some trouble accepting the premise that in this weight-obsessed society, the teenagers involved don't have any idea they might be overweight, even if the parents are blind to it. But let's assume this study is valid: Is it in fact necessary for the kids and parents to acknowledge weight problems in order to make changes? Personally I don't think so, and I believe focusing on weight as a measure of health is foolish anyway. After all, this is a group who has type 2 diabetes (linked with being overweight) and you're telling me that explaining diet and exercise are crucial to diabetes management and even reversal is not good enough? These kids have a disease that gives them incentive and reason to make lifestyle changes that would almost certainly result in weight loss. That's more important than highlighting weight, and trust me, they'll get the weight message from many different sources for the rest of their lives.
