Parents Are Sometimes in Denial about Kids’ Weight

Most parents know childhood obesity is an issue facing the country, but its not unusual for parents to be unaware when their children weigh too much.

According to a “Consumer Reports” poll last summer, an estimated 91 percent of parents with children ages 5 to 17, said childhood obesity was a problem in the United States. But half of the parents with children having a body mass index (BMI) categorizing them as overweight thought the weight was not appropriate.

Some parents are in denial because they don’t want to deal with their own weight issues, according to nutritionists, while others said the doctor has never told them the child has a problem.  

To find out how to calculate a child’s BMI and for actions families can take, go to the story in USA Today.