One in five pre-schoolers is obese
Melissa Davey
Health Reporter
Dr Hardy said it was concerning children were being introduced to bad habits so young but added that parents often did not realise their children were unhealthy.
"We asked parents whether they perceived their child to be overweight, healthy or underweight and found 70per cent of parents of overweight kindergarten children thought their kid was the right weight," she said.
"And 30per cent of the parents of obese children thought their child was the right weight.
The challenge for policy-makers would be to promote better health to parents of young children and influence household behaviour without being seen as promoting a "nanny-state," Dr Hardy said.
"It's a very difficult situation, but this is happening before children enter school and we need to get the message across while also not offending parents."
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/one-in-five-preschoolers-is-obese-20121001-26v62.html#ixzz2824INcVa
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