As a pediatrician I have witnessed the incredible surge of childhood/teenage obesity.
In my book “CRYSTOPPERS a play by play guide for wise parenting” I explain the factors that lead to childhood/ teenage obesity.
In a few words, this disease is the consequence of poor parenting during the first three years of life.
When parents devote all their efforts to give their children anything they want to eat, as long as they don’t cry; they create very unhealthy eating habits.
I have seen numerous obese teenagers with diabetes.
Obviously obese diabetic patients are more prone to have serious medical problems such as hypertension, stroke heart disease and cancer.
However there is one aspect that I think is almost unique to overweight teenage boys: GYNECOMASTIA .
Definition: Gyne refers to female, and mastia refers to the breast. Gynecomastia is strictly a male disease and is any growth of the adipose (fatty) and glandular tissue in a male breast.
In teenagers that have been obese for a while it is mainly GLANDULAR i.e. REAL BREAST TISSUE.
It means that even if the young man adopts a healthy life style and stops being obese, and the rest of the fat tissue (like abdominal, neck arm fat) dissolves, the breast tissue WILL NOT GO AWAY.
On top of all the health consequences that teenage obesity brings, there is one that could be even more deadly in the short term: Low self esteem, which leads to depression and eventually sometimes suicide.
The teen is ridiculed and rejected by his peers. He refuses to swim or take of his shirt for fear of showing his “FEMALE LOOKING BREASTS” .
Eventually, and once he has lost the excess weight he will need to have the breasts remove surgically.
And to think that if his parents would have done their job before their son turned 5 years, this would have never happened.
PLEASE DO NOT BECOME CRYSTOPPERS .(i.e. CRYSTOPPERS are parents that have decided that their “mission in life” is to prevent their child from crying, regardless if it means to spoil them, creating sleeping, behavioral, social and nutritional problems.)

As a pediatrician since 1980, when I see my patients for their scheduled 9 months old checkups, I do my best to try to educate parents about the detrimental effects of sugary foods in children since a very young age.

To make my point very clear; I tell them: “if you have to make a choice for a drink for your 9 months old baby, it is less detrimental to give diet soda than fruit juice”.

Obviously I AM NOT promoting diet soda; because nothing is better than PURE WATER.

I am trying to teach parents that sugar and carbohydrates are synonyms.

It does not matter if it is disguised as  organic fruit juice, cereals, grains, bread, pasta, gold fish cookies, raisins, dehydrated fruits etc. THESE PRODUCTS ARE SUGAR.

Carbohydrates are an important part of our daily balanced diet; however in the majority of families they constitute 90% of children’s diet.

For example: Breakfast is cereal, muffins, bagels, French toast,  pancakes and juice. Lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and more juice. Dinner: pasta, pizza etc.

Snacks: fruit juice,  pretzels, cheerios, goldfish cookies, etc.

i.e. 90% SUGAR .

I have noticed that over the last few weeks; that the media is giving a lot of attention to childhood obesity.

Even the first lady Mrs. Obama has devoted a significant amount of her time to fight childhood obesity.

Their approach is to make sure children exercise and to provide “healthy school meals”.

Childhood obesity has nothing to do with the lack of exercise. Exercise will not make children lose weight either.

There is a misconception, often spread by official medical associations; that if children eat lots of fruit and whole grain products they will not become obese.

If that theory was true; why is it that we are losing the battle against childhood obesity?

You should try to give your children a protein a vegetables and a fruit for each meal.

When a starch is served (rice, pasta, potatoes etc) first give protein and vegetables.

For snacks provide water, cooked or raw green vegetables or protein.

If you follow this advice, and you create a healthy LIFESTYLE   at home and stop bribing/ rewarding your children with sugar, you will go a long way to fight and stop childhood obesity.

For those of you that have read my book by the title : “CRYSTOPPERS a play by play guide for wise parenting”; or for those that have followed my blogs ( go to http://crystoppers.authorsxpress.com/) know that by definition; CRYSTOPPERS are parents that have decided that their “mission in life” is to prevent their child from crying, regardless if it means to spoil them, creating sleeping, behavioral, social and nutritional problems.
Over the weekend I got an E-mail from a friend, a Rabbi that had read my book, letting me know about an article he read on the Wall Street Journal .
He wrote in his e-mail to me: “Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal had a feature article,” Why French Parents Are Superior ” (Review Section 3, pages 1-2 ). It presented the thesis that the secret of raising children who behave…and will eventually succeed in life, is through delaying gratification. The author also cites the ” sin ” of not allowing babies to just cry rather than hurry in to deal with them.”
After reading the article, I realized that some societies still use common sense in educating their children. Meaning: if something is good for their child they do it, if something is bad they don’t ; regardless of screaming, whining, or hugs and kisses.
So if that is true ; in France, parents are still doing their job correctly.

In my pediatric practice I see highly educated parents, that despite agreeing in principle with the idea of not becoming CRYSTOPPERS; the moment they hear the baby crying they become “hypnotized” and forget their commitment to parenting.
Often there is a grandparent that does not allow the parents to do their job.

Is there hope for us?

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CRYSTOPPING

The book “CRYSTOPPERS: a play by play guide for wise parenting”, deals with parenting support for all age groups, from birth to high school.

Parents that have followed the advice given in this book will have an easier transition when their children enter elementary school.

Elementary school children are already able to reach abstract conclusions to problems, and are able to analyze their surrounding environment to obtain the biggest benefits for their preferences.

They can have a rational and logical approach towards their daily lives;

and can be very persuasive when trying to obtain “benefits” from parents and teachers.

Elementary school children tend to look up to older children, that sometimes are not such great role models, and therefore may learn to use foul language, or become involved in unsafe activities and games.

If the parents have established their authority with their children since birth, and have demonstrated through actions that THEY (the parents) are in charge; and because of that the children know that there are consequences for inappropriate behavior, the children will avoid befriending “bad influences”, and will also abstain from participating in anything that goes against what their parents have instilled in them.

Like at any other age, elementary school children have to adhere to the right sleeping routine and they should not be allowed to be disrespectful to others and they must also comply with their school duties.

Nutrition is very important at this age.  A healthy lifestyle by the parents at home has to be maintained.  If we do so, they will be ready for a healthy transition to middle/high school.

If we analyze the status of teenagers in our society, we find something very disturbing.

A large number of them are involved in very risky behavior, including alcohol or drug abuse and sexual promiscuity.

According to published statistics, some children start this dangerous behavior as early as 8-9^th grade.

Some believe that many of these teenagers grew up in neighborhoods where they were exposed to poverty and negative role models ; and therefore they saw  drugs and violence in the streets since very young age.

However how can we explain the high incidence of drug/alcohol abuse in teenagers that grew in stable home environments?

In my opinion, the main reason why these teenagers get involved in such negative lifestyles, is because their parents were unfortunately “ CRYSTOPPERS” (i.e. parents that devote all their energy to appease/please their children without taking into consideration what is beneficial or detrimental to their children).

Therefore, since a very young age, the child gets everything he/she wants just by crying, screaming, and temper tantrums; because of this negative behavior, they do not know the meaning of not getting INSTANT GRATIFICATION.

In school, especially middle and high school; they cannot always get instant gratification.

In order to compensate, they become involved in drugs, alcohol and sexual promiscuity; because such activities give them a false sense of  instant gratification.

Ultimately they may damage their college and graduate education; and therefore, their entire life.

If only their parents would have done their parenting job correctly, this would have never happened.