Editorial: Is Johnny fat?

Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007 | 6:57 a.m.

A poll by Consumer Reports this summer suggests that many parents have trouble discerning whether their children are overweight.

Results of the phone survey, which were released in late July, show that only 4 percent of parents of 5- to 17-year-olds described their children as being obese, which is generally considered 20 percent or more above their ideal weight. But, in fact, Consumer Reports says, 19 percent of the children of parents polled were in the obese category.

In a story by USA Today on Thursday, Keith Ayoob, a dietitian who works with overweight children and their families, said parents often are in denial about overweight children because changing the child's lifestyle and eating habits means making that change for themselves. "It's very difficult for parents to confront their own food issues," Ayoob told USA Today.

Who can blame them? After all, those who work, pay the mortgage, do the laundry, clean the house and taxi the children everywhere ought to be able to sit on the sofa at night and eat a couple of brownies, right?

Certainly, the health professionals say - right after enjoying a healthy meal and walking around the block a few times with your children.

Lifestyle changes don't have to be drastic, Ayoob said. Limit meats and starches to one serving at meals but allow everyone to eat as many servings of vegetables as they desire. Do something active, such as walking 20 to 30 minutes a day , and work up to an hour a day. And - this is the tough one - limit television and computer time, collectively, to two hours or less each day.

Parents have demanded, rightly, that schools improve the foods served to children, and schools have responded. But healthy choices also must be made at home for children to avoid falling into the obesity trap.