Mothers find it difficult to admit that their children are obese
Admitting that they themselves are obese is easier for a mother than admitting their child is. This comes after a study conducted in Ireland found that mothers were more honest and accurate about their own height and weight, but only 17% of mothers of obese children could admit that their child was overweight. This means that they are less likely to seek help and intervene due to their child’s weight, increasing the chances of the child gaining more weight, and eventually tracking this into adulthood.
The effect is more apparent in the cases of overweight daughters, where mothers are far less likely to admit that their daughters were obese than their sons. Identifying the problem is the first step to solving it, and by not recognising their children’s problems some mothers may be subconsciously putting their children at increased health risks. The researchers suggested that the problem may arise due to the fact that mothers are not objectively measuring their children, but could be comparing them to their peers. Furthermore, if a mother does identify her child as overweight, she may feel that she needs to intervene and upset the child, and therefore avoids this. In summary, the study called for more open and honest discussions between health professionals, parents and children in order to maintain healthy weight in the young.
