Sometimes I wonder if we can really believe all the studies and research we read today. Like this one, for instance, in the June 2006 issue of Pediatrics. According to researchers, parents who have a strict parenting style may actually contribute to their children’s weight gain.
The study looked at 872 first graders and observed four parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian , permissive and neglectful. The researchers concluded that there is a direct correlation between obesity in children and a lack of flexibility on the part of the parents.
Now it would seem to me that the children with parents who had a permissive or neglectful parenting style might possibly have an obesity problem. These parents probably would allow their kids to eat whatever they wanted to eat. I consider myself to be a strict parent and Tyler is thin as a rail. He does not eat; he picks at his food. And since he’s so energetic, he burns off what he does manage to eat very quickly.
Also, with such a small sampling I don’t think researchers should make such bold statements. Seems like parents are being blamed for so many ills and problems that our kids have and now one more thing to feel guilty about. Or not. I love to read research and polls and what-not but some of what I read I tend to take with a grain of salt. Without conducting any research I would conclude that there are many other reasons why kids are obese today, none of which includes a strict parenting style.
When I was young we played outside in the evenings when the weather was nice and all day during the summer. I know there are kids on my block, I see them going to and from school, but then they seem to disappear into this black hole until the next morning. Today, many kids are glued to the TV or playing video games.
Most of us walked to school and I’m not talking about a few blocks either. Not today. Many kids live close enough to walk to school but are dropped off and picked up by their parents, other relatives or vanpools.
Then there’s the absence of physical education classes in some school districts. And don’t even get me started on the food issue. “Would you like to supersize that?” Ummmm- No. Even the regular sized portions of restaurant food has gotten larger. In most cases, a meal can feed two people easily. Tyler and I went to Applebee’s last week and he ordered a cheese pizza from the kids menu. I assumed it would be one of those little pan pizza deals, but this thing was huge. Even though the crust was paper thin, there was no way he could finish it all. Especially when it came with a side order, in this case a big old plate of fries.
I personally don’t see the connection and until I see more research with a larger sample, well, I just don’t buy it.