Gillian
02-12-2008, 04:51 PM
Did anyone read this ... doctors are claiming that fat children are overweight due to their genes rather than their diet and exercise habits. Do me a favour.
OK, fat kids usually have fat parents. But that isn't genetic. It is because fat parents over eat, do little exercise and this rubs off onto their children. I donlt think I've ever seen a fat kid who has parents who exercise and eat a well balanced diet. And as a teacher of 10 years I should know.
The idea that fat children inherit the so called 'fat gene' is fair enough. However, hold this up as an excuse at your peril. Children who are overweight should be encouraged to eat better and exercise. But this can not be achieved without the support of the parents. They need to be seen as role models by their kids and being overweight themselves won't help this cause at all. It's the same as smoking - if parents are smokers, their children are more likely to smoke. It's a case of monkey see, monkey do. Or is it that children have a smokers gene as well?
Gill
OK, fat kids usually have fat parents. But that isn't genetic. It is because fat parents over eat, do little exercise and this rubs off onto their children. I donlt think I've ever seen a fat kid who has parents who exercise and eat a well balanced diet. And as a teacher of 10 years I should know.
The idea that fat children inherit the so called 'fat gene' is fair enough. However, hold this up as an excuse at your peril. Children who are overweight should be encouraged to eat better and exercise. But this can not be achieved without the support of the parents. They need to be seen as role models by their kids and being overweight themselves won't help this cause at all. It's the same as smoking - if parents are smokers, their children are more likely to smoke. It's a case of monkey see, monkey do. Or is it that children have a smokers gene as well?
Gill