Q & A: Is there such a thing as puppy fat?

If left to his own devices, my 12-year-old child always picks the most fattening and unhealthy items going; how can I persuade him to make healthier choices?

I can think of several examples of the kind of situation you probably mean - the school cafe where he goes for sausage and chips rather than chicken salad; the morning out with friends in town when he goes to the burger bar; the pocket money spent on chocolate and sweets; the cola or fizzy orange picked instead of the mineral water from the vending machine; the family lunch out where he chooses steak, chips and sticky toffee pudding; the hand in the biscuit tin rather than the fruit bowl when he gets home from school.

I have had one such boy myself and I can tell you two things:

One, it is hard as they get older and start having a life of their own and money of their own, to control what foods and snacks they buy, so it is best to try to give them a taste for decent food before they get into double figures, and to talk to them about what makes a healthy diet, and why. When all around him are eating rubbish food he is not likely to pick salad and water, so you have to be realistic about what can be achieved. Maybe we should encourage our children to be friends with the ones who like healthy food, as well as the ones who don't
swear, do their homework and say 'please' and 'thank you'! We should also encourage our children not to be afraid to be individual - to aim to lead rather than follow.

Two, you have to exert what influence you can where you can and feel sure it will make a difference to the overall calorie content and nutritional quality of his diet.

For example, you could make sure that at least at home there are no fizzy drinks and biscuits to choose and that whatever meals you give him are fairly low in fat and sugar, and not too high in calories (unless he is underweight).

You could also go down the vanity route, and tell him that a healthy diet will give him better skin, more admiration from the girls, or whatever you think may spark his interest. But I don't see any point in turning yourself into the diet police - this will just antagonise him and make him eat all the more of everything you despise.

Lastly, remember that if he isn't overweight, he can actually eat more food that you as he goes through his teens - from 15 to 18, boys have higher calorie needs than any other group - and that most food does have some nutrients in it. If he looks as if he is starting to put on too much weight, be extra vigilant about not offering sugary drinks and high-fat high-sugar things at home, and encourage him to take more exercise.

With regard to school meals, in the UK new rules insist that school canteens are required to meet certain nutritional standards, for instance offering fish at least twice a week and fruit and vegetables every day - this still leaves the problem of choice, and chips are still allowed on the menu for over 11s every day. But at least it is an improvement.



Is there such a thing as puppy fat?

According to the World Health Organisation, the onset of adolescence predisposes a child to increased risk of overweight or obesity. This is partly because of social factors, such as more opportunity to choose their own food, more money to spend on snacks or drinks. Studies reveal that there is also a marked increase in preference for fatty foods at this time, and appetite often increases.

There are physiological changes at adolescence which predispose to increased fat deposition, especially in girls. Genetically, these will be the increased deposits of fat on the breasts, hips, bottom and thighs which is normal for the average female. The laying down of surplus fat can act as a trigger to the onset of puberty, hence the increased appetite.

These factors all combine to make some children, especially girls, put on a lot of body fat fairly rapidly during the years from 12 - 14, which is sometimes called 'puppy fat' by non-professionals. Before deciding whether weight loss is necessary it is important to establish whether the extra weight is within the normal range for your child's age and height, perhaps with the help of a doctor. Obviously, when a girl matures and grows breasts and gets curves, this is good and normal and shouldn't be confused with being overweight. One good rule of thumb is if her waist is still well defined, then she is probably not overweight.



How does one stop a child from getting obsessive about dieting?

I am afraid that research seems to show that young girls (and no doubt boys too, although to a lesser degree) are largely influenced in their attitude to food, their bodies and 'diets' by their mother's (and no doubt sometimes, their father's) own attitudes to these things.

Eating disorder centres see children as young as eight for treatment and even three and four year olds can be made over-anxious and over-conscious of food by parents' attitudes. The Human Nutrition department at Glasgow Royal Hospital for children has found that, ironically, parents who are over-anxious to give their children a healthy diet, and for them not to be overweight, may in fact encourage eating problems in their children. Parents who are too strict on their children, banning a range of perceived 'unhealthy' or 'fattening' foods are, they believe, inviting potential problems regarding eating disorders or, at the other extreme, encouraging obesity by having the opposite effect to the intended one. (If you can't have something, you may want it all the more.)

In particular, parents who are themselves obsessive slimmers, calorie-counters or health food fanatics may find their children may be more inclined to diet, be figure-conscious and have a poor self-image then others even when they are not overweight.

A mother's worries about her figure and diet are particularly likely to be emulated by her daughter, according to one study carried out in Boston. And another study published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology found that daughters whose appearance had been criticised by their mothers were more likely to diet and 'yo yo'.

So - after all that, what to do? Obesity is a major problem in the US and UK and so a real weight problem in a child shouldn't be ignored. BUT the idea of eating as a pleasant, necessary, relaxed event and food as an enjoyable part of living should be encouraged throughout a child's life, and over-emphasis on calorie-counting and strict dieting should definitely be avoided.

Equally important is that the parents should show a similarly relaxed attitude - eating well, eating healthily but not being obsessive about food in general, particular types of food, strict diets, and so on. And they should be comfortable in their own bodies, taking adequate but not obsessive exercise, and a healthy not unhealthy interest in their own appearance. In other words, moderation really is the key.

Be a good role model and, hopefully, your children will not become obsessive or suffer eating disorders either now or later in life. Your attitude from their birth to age around 12 is the most important. After that, peer pressure to be slim and discussions with friends about food and diet, clothes size and body weight and shape, may play an equally important, or more important, role in how your child views her body and her eating habits. At this time you need to carry on with the same 'good role model' philosophy and keep a discreet eye, and ear, out to monitor your daughter's views and feelings on the subject, while being as positive as possible about your daughter's appearance.

It is also worth noting that many anorexics and bulimics come from homes where there are very high standards expected in terms of academic achievement; if you feel you may be inclined to expect too much of your child, try to moderate your attitude there too.

A survey by the Schools Education Unit showed that over half of all girls aged 12 - 15 said they wanted to lose weight, though most of them weren't clinically overweight at all.