Obesity: You & Your Family

Op-Ed Written By: Oren Merry

Youve heard it. Ive heard it. Sugars, fats, carbohydrates Bad! Bad!
Bad! Being a parent now-a-days is all about the dos and donts of providing
your child with a healthy meal. No one ever tells you the facts behind obesity
in our children today. Where does a balanced diet come from? What is the
main contributor to the growing epidemic of obesity today? I first came in
contact with this issue when I took my 5-year-old, Jedidiah, for his physical.
After his checkup, his Doctor pulled me aside and explained to me that Jeb
has gained weight at a disproportionate rate. With a history of obesity in my
familys history, this concern was not taken lightly. I had to make a change
for the health of my family.
This scare led me into over-drive. As a stay-at-home dad, it is my
responsibility to provide the best for my kids. After continued research, I
stumbled upon a startling finding. The environment, dependent on food that
your kids are exposed to determines as much, or even more-so, a childs

well-being. Studies have shown that when a Television set it on during any
meal, there is a significant correlation to the development of obesity. One
article notes a 29% correlation between having TV on and being at risk of
obesity1. This might not be a shock to many parents, but there is an equally
great relationship of overall negative comments to children and their
development of obesity. The effects of marital status on a childs nutritional
wellbeing can even been traced to the development of overweight and obese
offspring.
We were taught when we were kids that if you eat right and exercise a
little every-day you will be healthy-as-ever. Although that is correct, there is
so much more to a healthy lifestyle. Every environment has effects on a
persons choices and overall health. Wither it is the lunch program at school,
or even the parents of my childs friend, everyone and everything has an
impact.
What do these findings do besides terrify? They should inspire. Every
day we are given hundreds of choices on how to properly raise our children.
From the activities they are involved in, to the clothes they wear. We are
there to guide them to success. Where many of us falter, me included, is the
recognition of certain behaviors that contain unintentional consequences for
our children. Instead of criticizing my sons choices, provide alternatives.
Work on my relationship with my wife as a way to better my childs success
1

http://her.oxfordjournals.org.proxy.library.ucsb.edu:2048/content/22/2/203.full
.pdf+html

rate in school and overall health. You dont have to be the dreaded
helicopter or tiger parent. Being a positive role model for your children can
speak louder than words. In the end, we are all here for one thing: do the
best we can to make sure our children are as successful as possible.

Oren Merry, resides in Los Altos,

California. After work in business
consulting for over 20 years, he decided to
devote his time to raising his family with his
fabulous wife Gertrude.
The author Oren Merry (pictured left) with his wife and two kids.

Works Cited
Van Der Horst, Klazine, A. Oenema, I. Ferreira, W. Wendel-Vos, K. Giskes, F.
Van Lenthe, and J. Brug. "A Systematic Review of Environmental
Correlates of Obesity-Related Dietary Behaviors in Youth." Oxford
Journal of Health 22.2 (2007): 1-24. Oxfordjournals.org. Oxford, 21
July 2006. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.
<http://her.oxfordjournals.org.proxy.library.ucsb.edu:2048/content/22
/2/203.full.pdf+html>.