China: Grandparents Overfeed Kids and Make Them Fat

China’s children are getting fatter, but it’s not because of junk food and fizzy drinks. It’s because of the grandparents. No kidding. It seems that their grandparents kids in China and cause them to become fat.

Over the last two decades, the rate of increase in childhood obesity prevalence in China, particularly in urban centres has skyrocketed. Just think about this: the ‘Rising Dragon’ is now ranked No. 2 after the United States for the most obese residents. But tackling the issue in the country of nearly 1.4 billion is no easy feat.

What do grandparents have to do with this?

China: Grandparents Overfeed Kids and Make Them Fat. For Real.  - ClapwayWhile grandparents aren’t the sole reason for the country’s obesity epidemic, they are partly to blame, according to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity on Thursday by researchers at Britain’s University of Birmingham.

Older generations reportedly have a different perception of what constitutes a balanced diet.

China: Grandparents Overfeed Kids and Make Them Fat. For Real.  - Clapway

Chinese grandparents have “experienced underweight, under-nutrition, food shortage, physical hardship and deprivation in their early lives.” They now play a central role in taking care of their grandchildren. They share more than the love; they share the food.

This is particularly common in single child families – widely known as the ‘single family treasure’. It isn’t unusual for multiple generations to live under the same roof. Since China introduced its One-Child policy in late 1979, there are nearly 150 million single-child households in the country where grandparents are usually held in great respect.

Fat is happy

China: Grandparents Overfeed Kids and Make Them Fat. For Real.  - Clapway

The study’s lead author, Bai Li and his colleagues carried out interviews with grandparents, parents and teachers in order to examine the factors influencing a child’s care and weight. They found that the grandparents tended to boycott attempts by parents and school staff to promote healthy eating and physical activity – sometimes secretly.

Some common beliefs held among grandparents were that fat children are well cared for and that obesity related diseases could only happen in adults. A recurrent theme in all groups was a preference for fat children among grandparents, the authors of the study wrote. “Fat means wealthy,” grandparents from Hechi, a city of southern China, said.

The Grandchildren Overfeed Kids Phenomenon

Researchers found that Chinese grandparents tend to overfeed and overindulge by excusing their “huang di” – or “little emperors,” as they are commonly known – from household chores that could give them some physical exercise.

Overall children who were mainly cared for by their grandparents were more likely to be overweight or obese than children who were mainly cared for by their parents or other adults.

According to co-author Peymane Adab, as childcare provided through grandparents is a growing social trend across the world, older generations need to be included in future interventions to promote healthy behaviours among children – notably in China.

Grandparents Overfeeding Their Kids and Obesity in Children

Previous research carried out by the University of Helsinki, found that children who were mainly looked after by their grandparents were 22 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than those who stayed with their parents or were babysat by friends or neighbours.

Similarly a study by University College London found grandparents guilty of spoiling children with threats resulting in kids being a third more likely to be overweight.

Especially in the summer, taking care of children’s eating habits is crucial, according to a recent research by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health published in the June Journal of School Health.

So, what’s your opinion on grandparents overfeeding kids? How can we promote kids’ healthy eating habits? Share your comments in the section below.


 

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